The days of rapid growth in smartphone sales were numbered. We warned months ago, and the data from the end of 2022 proved us right. Cell phones have become the most important devices day by day, but their sales do not stop getting worse. Last year was terrible.

fiasco. The latest data from Canalys reveals that 17% fewer smartphones were distributed in the fourth quarter of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. The annual drop is also notable: 11% fewer smartphones were distributed in all of 2022 than in all of 2021. .

Worst quarter of a decade. Canalys highlights how producers are faced with an extremely complex situation due to the macroeconomic environment. “The channel is extremely cautious when ordering new inventory, which contributes to the low number of units shipped in the fourth quarter.”

Source: Canalys

And the worst year since 2013. It has been a long time since there has been such a marked decline in distributed units, which have a very direct relationship with effective sales. You have to go back to 2013 to see lower numbers, and as they say at Canalys, the situation was very different back then because cell phones were in full swing back then.

it’s all autumn. Sales in recent months have helped soften a blow that may have been even harder, but that’s because all segments were affected. Not only are mid-range and entry-level terminals falling significantly, but high-end terminals are falling as well.

The Chinese are losing power, Apple and Samsung are gaining. Xiaomi (14% to 13%), OPPO (from 11% to 9%) and Vivo (from 10% to 9%) lost annual global share between 2021 and 2022, while Apple (from 17%) to 19%) and Samsung (from 20% to 22%) earned it.

With nothing developing (a lot). Analysts do not foresee an improvement in the short-term and speak of “flat or marginal” growth mainly due to economic uncertainty, changes in renewal cycles and inflation. Problems will be particularly noticeable in developed and very mature markets. China and Southeast Asia are currently one of the few numbers manufacturers need to catch up with, but even this option seems likely to have limited impact in the coming months.

Picture: adrien