Philippines is the 2nd largest smartphone market in SEA; Transsion leads –Canalys

The Philippines remains the second largest smartphone market in Southeast Asia, according to a recent Canalys smartphone market pulse 50. The country experienced a staggering 77% year-on-year growth in shipments during January 2024. This translates to a whopping 1.5 million units shipped, marking the strongest recovery in SEA.

The budget segment has become a battleground for dominance, with brands like realme, Xiaomi, and TRANSSION flooding the market with affordable devices that boast impressive core specs like RAM and storage.

TRANSSION, in particular, has emerged as a surprising leader, capturing a significant 37% market share in January. Their secret sauce? Channel incentives and sponsorships with gaming teams — a strategic move to resonate with young, budget-conscious buyers. Infinix for example, has been an official sponsor of the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League-Philippines (MPL-PH) since Season 11 to 13.

realme isn’t backing down without a fight, though. According to Canalys, realme countered TRANSSION’s dominance with the competitively priced realme Note 50 43, starting at just PHP 3,599 offering impressive specs enticing budget-minded consumers.

Samsung, Xiaomi leads in SEA

Meanwhile, the overall Southeast Asian smartphone market reached 7.3 million units shipped in January 2024, reflecting a 20% year-on-year growth. Samsung held onto the top vendor spot with 1.5 million units shipped, which translates to a 20% market share. However, it’s worth noting that they’ve experienced an 11% decline compared to January 2023.

On the other hand, Xiaomi (1.3 million, 18% share) and TRANSSION (1.1 million, 15% share) are the big winners in this region. Coming in second, Xiaomi saw a staggering 128% growth, while TRANSSION achieved an even more impressive 190% increase in year-on-year shipments.

OPPO also managed to secure a third-place tie with TRANSSION, capturing 1.1 million units (15% market share). However, unlike the other major player, OPPO’s annual growth dipped by 6%. vivo rounds out the pack with a 12% market share and 0.9 million shipments.