Colombia’s Q1 2023 smartphone shipments fell 9% YoY, but Apple’s iPhone showed remarkable resiliency with a 60% YoY increase in shipment volume, doubling iPhone’s share of the country’s smartphone market from 3% to 6%.
Andres Silva for Counterpoint Research:
Colombia’s Q1 2023 smartphone shipments fell 9% YoY. Its worst quarterly volume since Q1 2020, according to the latest report from Counterpoint Research’s Market Monitor service. The country’s quarterly shipments were hurt by weakened demand resulting from rising inflation and political uncertainties. Overall, smartphone shipments in the LATAM region are on the decline, falling 9% YoY in Q1 2023.
Commenting on the market trend, Principal Analyst Tina Lu said, “The ongoing market concentration shows which brands are better positioned, and the results are not a surprise. Samsung and Apple increased their shipment share by 50 and 30 basis points, respectively, in Q1 2023. When consumers are skeptical of the future, they will go to recognized brands and OEMs know this. Nevertheless, HONOR and OPPO, who are trying to grow their presence in Colombia, burst into the market by more than doubling their shipment YoY.”
Apple witnessed a 60% YoY increase in shipment volume during the quarter due to the delayed arrival of the iPhone 14 series in Colombia. The iPhone 11, which was Apple’s best-selling model in Colombia, also helped.
Samsung’s shipment volume grew 6% YoY in Q1 2023, primarily driven by the launch of the S23 series. The S23 Ultra with 256GB memory was the most prominently featured device in the new series, particularly in Claro.
MacDailyNews Take: As in the rest of the world, Apple likely owns at least 75% of the premium smartphone market in Columbia.
The momentum is towards real iPhones and away from iPhone knockoffs.
New or used, slowly, inexorably, the confused masses who’ve settled for wretched fragmandroid phones eventually graduate to real iPhones. – MacDailyNews, April 25, 2023
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NOPE. Been to C O L O M B I A many times and they don’t even have an Apple store. You have to go to a reseller.
Just like we did in the USA until Steve opened the first Apple store back in the early 2000s. So, how many other phone manufacturers operate their own retail stores in Colombia, hmmmmm?
So now we’re celebrating a SIX PERCENT market share? Sure, it’s better than three percent, but still… Must be a slow news day.