Realme was the fastest-growing 5G Android smartphone brand worldwide in Q3 2021, according to Counterpoint Research’s monthly Market Pulse Service.
The brand’s 5G smartphone sales grew 831 per cent Year over Year. It was able to outgrow the market with its smartphone sales compared to the global 5G smartphone sales, which grew at 121 per cent YoY.
The growth helped the brand retain the sixth spot in global 5G Android smartphone sales for the second consecutive quarter.
Markets
Much of Realme’s growth came from China, India, and Europe, as per the report.
According to Varun Mishra, Senior Analyst, Realme’s 5G sales in India grew a whopping 9519 per cent YoY, the most among all regions.
“This growth is especially remarkable for a country where 5G network is yet to be deployed. This was followed by China, where its 5G sales grew 830 per cent YoY, making it one of the fastest-growing 5G smartphone brands in China. The third highest growth came from Europe. Furthermore, Realme’s 5G growth in emerging markets has also positioned it well for the future, as 5G rollouts ramp up. Affordability and accessibility will continue to be crucial for all OEMs to capitalize on the grand 5G opportunity,” said Mishra.
Other 5G smartphone brands
Other fast-growing 5G smartphone brands include Oppo and Vivo. Oppo’s global 5G smartphone sales grew 165 per cent YoY while Vivo recorded a 147 per cent YoY growth, driven by their mid-to-high-end 5G smartphones. The brands were followed by Xiaomi’s Mi at 134 per cent and Samsung at 70 per cent.
Talking about the rapid growth of 5G, Research Director Tarun Pathak said, “5G as a tech has penetrated much faster than its predecessor. As 5G technology continues to evolve, we enter the next phase of growth supported by maturing and broadening device portfolios.”
“OEMs have been continuously bringing 5G across price-tiers and regions, making it more accessible. Furthermore, the companies also actively pushed 5G smartphones due to the better availability of 5G components. OEMs with a more robust 5G portfolio were able to capture the growing mid-tier demand. Realme, with its strong multi-channel strategy and a wide 5G portfolio across price-bands, helped it grow the fastest, followed by Oppo and Vivo. Apple, the current 5G market leader, only entered the 5G smartphone market in Q4 2020,” said Pathak.
