This week, International Data Corporation (IDC) recently introduced the Top 5 mobile technology vendors and brands in the Philippine market. The data sprang from dozens of analysts who took a look at the Philippine market and paint a picture of the current landscape.
Putting it bluntly, Chinese smartphone brands managed to climb their way into the Top 5, displacing other brands to solidify their place in the market. These are namely, Oppo and Vivo, whose rise to prominence began by creating selfie-centric smartphones. However, the true king remains to be Cherry Mobile, whose low-budget yet efficient devices continue to sell like crazy. The rankings are as follows:
- Cherry Mobile maintained its lead in the smartphone market, again, thanks to its budget lineup. Not only that, but marketing aided them in spreading the word.
- Korean juggernaut Samsung came in at 2nd, due to the new J series lineup. Most of its Q2 shipments, in fact, come from an interation of the Galaxy J.
- OPPO finished as the 3rd biggest vendor, with the most aggressive marketing in the field. This Chinese brand benefits from its fruitful partnership with Home Credit, allowing almost anyone to afford an OPPO device.
- Cloudfone ends at the 4th position. This particular brand focused on sports events, especially with NBA and PBA. This is a play that seems exclusive to the Cloudfone, but one that pays off thanks to the large basketball fanbase in the Philippines.
- Last but not least, Vivo takes the 5th position, growing 66 percent quarter-over-quarter. In simple terms, the Stephen Curry endorsement really paid off for Vivo, especially in the local scene. Not only that, but the Vivo Perfect Selfie Tour covering most Manila malls helped solidify this growth.
IDC expects the smartphone market in the Philippines to stay relatively unchanged upon entering Q3. Not only that, but the Top 5 brands should remain unchallenged as well, especially the current king, Cherry Mobile. This can be attributed to a number of factors, including an increase in component prices, and a weaker Philippine currency. Shipments should pick up, however, for the final quarter of 2017 thanks to the pre-Christmas buying season.
