Canalys has released its newest statistics for the smartphone market, and this is good news for Apple and Samsung. Apple came to the first place with 22% of shipments around the world at Q4 2021, while Samsung was in second place with 20%. Unfortunately for other smartphone makers, there is a big ravine between the top two companies and the entire market.
Xiamoi came to third place with 12%, while Oppo came to fourth with 9%, and Vivo came to fifth with 8%. The disparity between the top two makers and the entire market leads many people wondering whether other companies will be able to take the top spot. While other companies are of course approaching the market, there are a number of challenges they need to overcome, nothing will be easy.
One of Apple’s biggest benefits and Samsung is their branding. Wherever you are, Apple and Samsung are two of the best known brands of the world.
The recognition of this brand is a big advantage for both companies, making it easier for them to attract attention and market their new models. In fact, it is not uncommon for both brands to have lines of people waiting to buy their new mobile on release day.
Instead, many smaller brands do not have a name or budget recognition to easily get it. As a result, they must rely on major events, such as CES, to promote their products. Needless to say, this pandemic is very difficult for companies like that, because many events must be canceled or modified significantly.
Another major challenge faced by small companies faced is matching the superiority of Apple and Samsung supply chains. Because of its size, and the volume of the products they produce, both companies can secure their supply chains, buy memory and components, to smaller levels.
While this can be a significant challenge to overcome with the best conditions, it is a problem that is even greater during a pandemic when the global supply chain has been under pressure
Companies that come closest to Apple and Samsung are Huawei. Unfortunately for the company, soon found himself banned by the US and his allies, forced to sell some of his telephone business, and cut from his suppliers, both software and hardware.
Huawei’s example described one of the biggest challenges to drop Apple and Samsung: distrust of Chinese companies. Because of various economic factors, such as where many world electronic devices are produced, Chinese companies have a real competitive advantage than companies elsewhere.
Unfortunately, whether fair or not, Chinese companies often get criticism for helping Beijing in his spy efforts. In addition, there are also cases of Chinese companies documented well stealing intellectual property from external companies operating in China (via WSJ).
These various factors create a level of distrust in countries around the world and often lead to sanctions and prohibitions that inhibit the company’s ability to compete. Even though it is of course another company will drop Apple and Samsung and control the smartphone market, it is impossible that such change will occur in the near future.