Now at the same level as HMD
Realme is having a great year so far in 2019. The former OPPO sub-brand has managed to grab record growth since their inception last year.
According to Counterpoint Research, Realme grew 848% from their meager beginnings in Q2 2018 compared to the same time period last year.
Despite still being in the single digits in terms of worldwide market share, the two-year-old brand is currently tied with HMD Global, holding around 1.3% of the world’s total market share.
Retail success was also had with many other Chinese brands, with Counterpoint reporting that brands like Huawei, OPPO, Vivo, Xiaomi, and Realme (HOVXR) reached 42% in Q2 2019, the highest it has ever been.
That’s an impressive feat, considering that overall smartphone shipments declined 1% last quarter.
Commenting on the record market share for HOVXR, Varun Mishra, Research Analyst at Counterpoint Research noted, “Heavy marketing, faster portfolio refresh, high spec devices at aggressive prices, and multi-channel presence are some of the key reasons why Chinese brands fared better than the local and global OEMs. These brands have been aggressively expanding outside China and achieving growth offsetting the saturation in their home market. Their strategies and product portfolios are more aligned to the local needs and preferences, which is one of their key strengths.”
The biggest loser in Q2 2019 is LG, whose market share contracted 18.5% compared to last year. Apple’s woes continue as well, contracting 11.9% in the same period.
