At the same time, due to the increase in tariffs, in the first quarter of 2018, more smartphone manufacturers began to choose to assemble mobile phones in Bangladesh.
According to the latest research report from the market analysis agency Counterpoint, in the first quarter of 2018, the smart phone in Bangladesh decreased by 18% compared with the previous year, an increase of 3% from the previous quarter.
China's smart phone brand in Bangladesh grew 25% year-on-year, accounting for 38% of the market share, maintaining rapid growth.
Counterpoint’s Tarun Pathak said: “The reason why this quarter was declining was because Bangladeshi network operators Grameenphone, Robi Axiata and Banglalink started deploying 4G networks in the first quarter of this year. Consumers hope that in the coming quarters, Buying 4G smart phones more in line with expected prices. With further expansion of coverage, smart phone demand in Bangladesh will pick up in the coming quarters. It is estimated that in 2018, smart phone shipments in Bangladesh will increase by 16%.
Counterpoint analyst Satyajit Sinha said when talking about the competitive landscape of the smart phone market in Bangladesh: 'Even if the Chinese smart phone brands can provide products in the $100 market segment, local manufacturer Symphony still occupies a dominant position. In addition, another local The brand Walton also expanded and increased by 74% in Bangladesh's remote areas. The third-ranked iTel has become the fastest-growing mobile brand in Bangladesh in 2017 (564%) due to its active channel strategy in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, the competition among the top five smart phone brands will be very fierce.
In addition, Sinha added: 'With the increase in import tariffs, mobile phone manufacturers have also had to consider investing in local assembly, and some OEMs have begun to take action. This strategy can help manufacturers gain more advantages in pricing. For example, Walton has already assembled in the area. Other brands such as Transsion, Symphony, Lava and Samsung have similar plans in the short term.
Bangladesh Smartphone Market Overview:
In the first quarter, smart phone shipments in Bangladesh fell by 18% year-on-year, an increase of 3% from the previous quarter.
Smartphone shipments accounted for 21% of total handset shipments, indicating that smartphones are gradually being accepted by consumers.
The local manufacturer Symphony is still the largest smart phone brand in Bangladesh, occupying 21% of the market share.
Walton is another smart phone manufacturer with more than 15% market share. In the first quarter, Walton's smartphone shipments increased by 74% year-on-year.
In the first quarter of 2018, locally made smart phones reached 25%.
iTel is the fastest growing smart phone manufacturer in the first quarter, an increase of 564% year-on-year, with a market share of 10%. Aggressive marketing plans and low-cost entry-level smartphones are the key reasons for its success.
In the first quarter, iTel surpassed Samsung, Huawei, and ranked third in Bangladesh. iTel's S11 is its best-selling mobile phone model in the first quarter.
Samsung’s smartphone shipments fell by 46% in the first quarter, and the market accounted for 10%. However, in the 4G mobile market, Samsung’s performance was better. Its J series accounted for 21% of Samsung’s total shipments. Samsung’s market share in the 4G smartphone market is 17%.
Huawei's market share is 8%. Y series (Y3) is its best-selling 4G phone model. Huawei contributed 20% market share to Bangladesh's 4G mobile phone market.
Grameenphone, Robi Axiata and Banglalink have launched 4G services since the end of February, but since most users are still waiting for the deployment of 4G networks nationwide, this has somewhat extended the replacement cycle of smartphones. / Fan Rong)
Bangladeshi smart phone brand distribution