- With a 165% YoY growth in Q4 2021, realme’s 5G smartphone shipments grew the most among all major* 5G brands.
- This growth was fuelled by key expansion regions such as Western Europe and Latin America.
- realme’s 5G smartphones also continued to perform well in regions such as the Middle East & North Africa and Asia-Pacific, where it has already gained a foothold.
- Consequently, realme is now among the top five 5G smartphone brands in over 20 markets in terms of shipments.
New Delhi, Hong Kong, Seoul, London, Beijing, San Diego, Buenos Aires – March 14, 2022
realme ended 2021 with its 5G smartphone shipments growing fastest among major 5G brands in the December-ended quarter, according to the latest data from Counterpoint Research’s Market Monitor service. This was the third quarter in a row in which realme was one of the fastest-growing major 5G brands globally.
Commenting on realme’s 5G growth strategy, 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.”
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. 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.
Commenting on 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.”
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.
realme’s future as a major 5G brand looks bright as it 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.
* Brands with quarterly 5G shipments of 5 million units or more in Q4 2021
Background
Counterpoint Technology Market Research is a global research firm specializing in products in the TMT (technology, media and telecom) industry. It services major technology and financial firms with a mix of monthly reports, customized projects and detailed analyses of the mobile and technology markets. Its key analysts are seasoned experts in the high-tech industry.
Analyst Contacts:
Harmeet Singh Walia
Jan Stryjak
Tarun Pathak
Aman Chaudhary
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