GfK: Global smartphone unit sales rose 5% in Q2; 2015 global growth to be led by India?

Using actual POS data, GfK tracks the number of smartphone sales, not shipments, that take place. For the second quarter of 2015, the actual number of units sold globally amounted to 302.1 million handsets, up from the 288.3 million purchased during the same quarter last year. That worked out to a 5% increase. In terms of dollar numbers, global sales rose 7% from $86 billion to $92.4 billion.

In North America during the three months ended in June, the number of smartphones sold rose 10% to 44.4 million. Pricing was strong as dollar sales during the same period increased 19% to $18.2 billion from the $15.4 billion that was rung up during the prior year's second quarter. Europe was a very tough market for smartphones during Q2. On the continent, the number of smartphones sold rose 3% from 14.7 million in the 2014 second quarter, to 15.2 million. But in dollar terms, sales declined 15% to $3.2 billion from $3.7 billion, indicating weak pricing during the quarter in Europe. China saw the opposite occur with unit sales down 10% to 88.7 million units in the quarter, while sales rose in dollar terms by 17% to $26.8 billion.

China did have the leading increase in market share for 4G LTE enabled phones for the second quarter. Overall, such handsets had 58% of the global market during the period, up 129% year-over-year from the 26% share such models owned in the second quarter of 2014. China also led the way in sales of large-screened smartphones in the second quarter. These are models with a screen measuring more than 5-inches. In China, a leading 63% of handset sales in this year's second quarter were for phones with a larger than 5-inch screen. Overall, 48% of handsets rung up in the second quarter had a screen larger than 5-inches. That was up 5% sequentially from Q1, and a 17% gain year-over-year.

GfK sees India being the largest contributor to unit growth this year. The low smartphone penetration in the country combined with tough competition (which drives down pricing) is the reason why.


Lastly, the average selling price of smartphones in the U.S. during the second quarter declined 1% sequentially from Q1. However, pricing rose 3% year-over-year during the second quarter. For all of 2015, GfK sees the average smartphone price declining 1% in the states.


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source: GfK