Figures from ABI Research show that mobile phone producers based in China will account for over 50% of mobile handsets in 2015. Chinese manufacturers were responsible for 38% of handset shipments last year, with growth in low-cost smartphones boosting this market share.
Although companies in China have dominated the production of mobile phone components for several years, the country’s original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have largely remained unknown outside the region.
Nick Spencer, senior practice director for mobile devices at ABI Research, said “Chinese vendors already take up five of the top ten places in terms of worldwide market share, despite three of them only really shipping into China. The Chinese vendors highlight the changing shape of the mobile handset market, as the Chinese manufacturing ecosystem, specifically reference designs, enable the next wave of smartphone growth in low cost emerging markets and amongst price conscious consumers everywhere. South East Asia has already experienced this trend, but ABI Research expects to see the impact of these Chinese vendors increasing in all emerging markets and even advanced markets, especially on prepay.”
[ABI Research Smartphones and Handsets Research Service]