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Realme emerged as the fastest-growing major 5G brand globally in Q4 2021, clocking a 165 per cent growth in global 5G smartphone shipments in the December-ended quarter, according to the latest data from Counterpoint Research’s Market Monitor service.
The brand ended 2021 with its 5G smartphone shipments growing fastest among major 5G brands in the December-ended quarter, as per the report. This was the third quarter in a row in which Realme was one of the fastest-growing major 5G brands globally.
Senior Analyst Harmeet Singh Walia, said, “Realme has been offering a broader 5G portfolio since 2020, having grown from just two 5G smartphones at the beginning of 2020 to 15 at the beginning of 2021 and well over double of that by Q4 2021.”
“Simultaneously, the average selling price (ASP) of these devices has declined too – from close to $270 in Q1 2020 to $250 in Q4 2021. This is despite the uptick in 5G ASP seen in the last couple of quarters due to price increases in the GT Neo Flash, Q3 Pro Carnival and V5 5G in Q3 2021 and the launch of the GT Neo 2 at $350 (wholesale price) in Q4 2021,” added Walia.
Other brands
Realme was followed by Samsung which clocked a 109 per cent growth in global 5G smartphone shipments in Q4 2021. Xiaomi’s Mi and Honor recorded 98 percent y-o-y growth each. Vivo followed with a 55 per cent growth. Oppo recorded a 42 per cent y-o-y growth in global 5G smartphone shipments during the quarter while Apple logged a 30 per cent growth.
“Alongside its overall brand growth, much of Realme’s 5G shipment growth has been fueled by its expansion in Europe, where it is the fastest-growing 5G brand,” as per the report. This performance is driven by Western European countries such as the UK, Italy, Spain, France and Switzerland. “In each of these countries, Realme is the fastest-growing brand thanks to the 8 5G and GT series,” it said.
Realme’s Europe growth story
Talking about Realme’s performance in Europe, Associate Director Jan Stryjak, said, “Realme was the fastest-growing major brand in Europe in 2021, having gone from strength to strength in the region. It entered the market in June 2019 and quickly found favour with its ‘flagship killer’ approach, offering high-spec devices at competitive prices.”
As per the report, “Realme’s rapid growth in Europe will enable it to gain a greater foothold in the region, as it has done in countries in the Middle East & North Africa and Asia-Pacific regions, which constitute a majority of the 20 countries in which Realme’s 5G smartphone shipments rank among the top five.”
The brand continues to “democratise access to 5G smartphones” with the launch of its most affordable 5G smartphone, the 9 5G, at under $200 in India on 10 March 2022. This model is expected to be launched in Latin America and Europe at $200-$250 soon. The major brands considered in the report are brands with quarterly 5G shipments of 5 million units or more in Q4 2021.
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