Apple is expected to generate more than $200 billion from the sale of iPhones in 2022, nearly 40 percent of the total smartphone market, despite representing less than 20 percent of devices sold.
Juniper Research said Apple has managed to convince users to purchase higher-priced models through curation of a strong hardware and software ecosystem though smartphone purchase cycles are lengthening.
Apple’s average selling price will rise in the coming years, while Android devices will decline, unless they can leverage new technologies like 5G or bring new design features, such as foldable phones, into the market.
Android phone vendors will struggle to compete on a features basis in future. Smartphone vendors who focus on a particular segment and investing in premium features, such as high-end audio and advances in camera technology, will not appeal widely enough to compete at scale in the smartphone market.
Apple and Samsung have succeeded in fostering brand loyalty, which smaller vendors have struggled with, despite many introducing new capabilities. These players need to pair strong features with strong branding to have sustained success, Nick Hunt at Juniper Research said.
The decline in Huawei’s smartphone business, thanks to the US trade ban, will not restore older brands to prominence, but allow other Chinese brands to expand.
BBK, the manufacturer of Oppo, Vivo, Realme, iQOO and OnePlus smartphones, will be shipping over 200 million smartphones in 2022; making it the third largest player that year.
Huawei’s smartphone market share will decline to just over 9 percent in 2022, from 11 percent in 2019, Juniper Research said.
