iPhone 11 Surpasses iPhone XR to Become Top in Shipments
600 Million Units Increase Year-on-Year Despite COVID-19 Impact
Samsung Galaxy A51, A10, A30 Also in Top 10
Galaxy S20+ Ranks 9th Overall, 1st Among 5G Phones
Customers visiting the Apple Garosugil store in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on the 25th, the domestic release date of the iPhone 11, are experiencing the iPhone 11. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@
[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The best-selling smartphone worldwide in the first quarter was the 'iPhone 11.' Samsung Electronics' 'Galaxy A51' took second place.
According to market analysis and consulting firm Omdia's report on the 26th (local time), the iPhone 11 topped smartphone shipments with 19.5 million units. Besides the iPhone 11, the iPhone XR (4.7 million units), iPhone 11 Pro Max (4.2 million units), and iPhone 11 Pro (3.8 million units) ranked 5th, 6th, and 8th respectively.
Apple has recently adopted a strategy of appealing to consumers by lowering the price of the iPhone. The iPhone 11 was launched at $699, $50 cheaper than its predecessor, the iPhone XR, but with improvements in the camera and AP compared to the previous model. Despite the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), it achieved shipments 6 million units higher than the iPhone XR's 13.6 million units during the same period last year.
The second best-selling smartphone was Samsung Electronics' Galaxy A51, with shipments reaching 6.8 million units. Among the four smartphones ranked in the top 10, three were mid-range models, with the Galaxy A10 (3.9 million units) and A30 (3.4 million units) ranking 7th and 10th respectively. Among flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S20+ 5G (3.5 million units) ranked 9th.
Joo Si Hong, a senior researcher at Omdia, explained, "The strategy of increasing the number of Galaxy S series models reduced the shipment volume of individual smartphones, and the higher price compared to the previous model made the Galaxy S20 series less appealing to consumers. Apple, on the other hand, consistently maintains a strategy of offering relatively fewer models while appealing to a wide range of consumers."
Additionally, Xiaomi's Redmi Note 8 and Redmi Note 8 Pro ranked 3rd and 4th respectively. This is the first time Xiaomi has reached as high as 3rd place in shipments. In the first quarter of last year, Xiaomi's Redmi 6A ranked 4th. Other Chinese manufacturers' products, excluding Xiaomi, did not make it into the top 10.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy S20+ took first place in 5G smartphone shipments. Samsung Electronics was able to increase sales by launching smartphones in most regions where 5G services are available, including the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Huawei's Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro ranked 2nd and 3rd in 5G smartphone shipments. As COVID-19 spreads globally, the adoption of 5G is expected to slow down, which may also impact the smartphone market.
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