Transsion Holdings has been the market leader in Africa for a while now with its three brands Tecno, Itel, and Infinix. The combination of these three brands gives it the largest market share in the continent. However, 2020 was the first time one of its brands actually took the top spot and overtook Samsung.

According to a Counterpoint report, Tecno toppled Samsung to claim the top spot in 2020. The smartphone brand saw its market share rise to 18% even though the market experienced a 6.7% drop in smartphone shipments YoY. The report revealed the COVID-19 pandemic also disrupted the market in the first half of 2020 with the second quarter being the worst as countries went into lockdown. However, by July, sales significantly improved. The market even recorded a 1.5% gain YoY in the fourth quarter of the year.

Samsung who had a market share of 18% in 2019 saw it drop to 15% in 2020 no thanks to issues with supply chain due to the pandemic and a slow reaction towards the end of the year. Things should get better for Samsung this year as it has already launched its new Galaxy A smartphones in multiple markets in the continent.

Itel, another Transsion Holdings brand takes the third spot with a market share of 12%. Itel offers more affordable phones than its sister brands Tecno and Infinix. You wouldn’t be wrong to call its lineup entry-level and as we can see, that segment has helped it enter the top three.

Huawei still keeps the fourth spot in Africa despite the challenges it is facing. Counterpoint says the first three quarters were strong but its shipments declined significantly in the fourth quarter. We can attribute that to the trade ban which has prevented it from getting components and thus affected the launch of new models in the market. Its market share has dropped from 10% to 8% and is expected to drop even further as things haven’t improved this year even with the new U.S. administration.

Infinix, the third Transsion Holdings brand closes the top 5 with a market share of 7%. Counterproint reports that they recorded strong market gains in the second half of the year and it is the transsion brand with the highest average selling price. However, it has begun to lower its prices based on market realities and is expected to grab a larger share of the market this year.

Xiaomi saw its market share double from 2% in 2019 to 4% by the end of 2020. Its shipments increased by 126% YoY, thanks to increased sales in key markets such as Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, and Nigeria. Xiaomi is also said to be expanding its offline presence in the continent and by directly managing channels, it should record an increase in market share this year. Xiaomi has already announced its Redmi Note 10 series in key markets like Nigeria where they will slug it out with Samsung’s new Galaxy A series smartphones.

OPPO also doubled its market share from 2% to 4% and saw its shipments grow 57% YoY. It made its entry into the continent a few years ago and has already recorded success in markets such as Egypt and Algeria. OPPO is also building its offline channels and is partnering with key operators in the continent.

Apple and HMD Global (Nokia) both retain their 1% market share. The latter hasn’t recorded significant success in the continent, no thanks to better offerings at lower prices from the competition. Another name on the list is Realme who didn’t have a market share in 2019 but now controls 1%. The brand is yet to launch in some markets such as Nigeria but we won’t be surprised if they do so this year.

Counterpoint also revealed that most of the sales recorded, over 80% to be specific, come from smartphones in the sub-$200 category and that trend is expected to continue. 5G smartphones are not popular yet in the region and will most likely not be in the next few years since deployment is yet to commence in several countries, nevertheless, a few 5G devices are already being sold.

Source : https://www.gizmochina.com/2021/04/19/counterpoint-tecno-overtakes-samsung-to-lead-african-smartphone-market-xiaomi-doubles-its-share/

wow !!!

Amazing!!!

Awesome!!!

despite all the negative bashing and attacks from those bunch of "over sabi" people who claims to know about phone more than all Nigerians.

To over take Samsung no be beans , well done to TECNO MOBILE.

congratulations to them.

Congratulations to them.

Tecno dey try abeg

OlofofoAdugbo1:
wow !!!

Amazing!!!

Awesome!!!

despite all the negative bashing and attacks from those bunch of "over sabi" people who claims to know about phone more than all Nigerians.

To over take Samsung no be beans , well done to TECNO MOBILE.

congratulations to them.

What is the purchasing power of African countries where 95 percent can't afford a phone of above $500 and you expect tecno,infinix and Itel not to lead the market. When they reach no. 3 in global ranking quote me and say "I told you so" for now stop supporting mediocrity.

still don't understand what you are trying to explain though

you said 95% cant afford it, and these brands helped produced the ones we can afford and getting credits for it

so there's nothing bad HERE

masterfactor:

What is the purchasing power of African countries where 95 percent can't afford a phone of above $500 and you expect tecno,infinix and Itel not to lead the market. When they reach no. 3 in global ranking quote me and say "I told you so" for now stop supporting mediocrity.

It therefore mean that xiaomi, Oppo, real me and others have alot of work to do. Someone up there said that 95% of africans live below $500, I don't know where he got that statistics from however we can't rule the fact that most africans are poor. I was opportune to interview a mobile phone vendor. I asked why most Nigerians still purchase tecno ,infinix and itel, his response was brand loyalty and availability of spare parts. Then I ask can tecno introduce snapdragon chipset in their phones. He said yes however the buyers are not willing to pay except for few persons hence tecno is comfortable with mediatek since it is cheap. From our survey, I found that few Nigerians are technical incline with phone technology. Aside that, I also found that most guys watch out for phones which handles heavy games.

hoilakes:
still don't understand what you are trying to explain though

you said 95% cant afford it, and these brands helped produced the ones we can afford and getting credits for it

so there's nothing bad HERE

Since you can't understand what I wrote there, why not pretend as if you did not see it and move, must you quote what I wrote

edoairways:
It therefore mean that xiaomi, Oppo, real me and others have alot of work to do. Someone up there said that 95% of africans live below $500, I don't know where he got that statistics from however we can't rule the fact that most africans are poor. I was opportune to interview a mobile phone vendor. I asked why most Nigerians still purchase tecno ,infinix and itel, his response was brand loyalty and availability of spare parts. Then I ask can tecno introduce snapdragon chipset in their phones. He said yes however the buyers are not willing to pay except for few persons hence tecno is comfortable with mediatek since it is cheap. From our survey, I found that few Nigerians are technical incline with phone technology. Aside that, I also found that most guys watch out for phones which handles heavy games.

@bolded, next time use the original sentence instead of adding yours, that aside, what is the purchasing power of an average African excluding north Africa?, let focus on West African alone because that is techno,infinix and itel biggest market. What is the percentage of those that can afford flagship or mid rangers compare to those that can afford budget and entry level phone??. This are the bases I look at before coming into conclusion, even the tecno flagship device(tecno phantom), how many people could afford it. I prefer an entry level and budget phone from other brand than from big brand. in conclusion, this are the reason why tecno, infinix and itel will continue to dominate that position in African for a very long time.

that's the reason y no one quoted it in the first place

masterfactor:

Since you can't understand what I wrote there, why not pretend as if you did not see it and move, must you quote what I wrote

hoilakes:
that's the reason y no one quoted it in the first place

Then why did you quote it?

cuz i dont understand and i explained

masterfactor:

Then why did you quote it?

They're trying...

masterfactor:

@bolded, next time use the original sentence instead of adding yours, that aside, what is the purchasing power of an average African excluding north Africa?, let focus on West African alone because that is techno,infinix and itel biggest market. What is the percentage of those that can afford flagship or mid rangers compare to those that can afford budget and entry level phone??. This are the bases I look at before coming into conclusion, even the tecno flagship device(tecno phantom), how many people could afford it. I prefer an entry level and budget phone from other brand than from big brand. in conclusion, this are the reason why tecno, infinix and itel will continue to dominate that position in African for a very long time.

We are saying the same thing however you got to be sure of your statistics (95%).

They should keep the good work thank God for brands like TECNO we can now get to experience good features n our smartphones without breaking d bank

Shuregirl:
Transsion Holdings has been the market leader in Africa for a while now with its three brands Tecno, Itel, and Infinix. The combination of these three brands gives it the largest market share in the continent. However, 2020 was the first time one of its brands actually took the top spot and overtook Samsung.

According to a Counterpoint report, Tecno toppled Samsung to claim the top spot in 2020. The smartphone brand saw its market share rise to 18% even though the market experienced a 6.7% drop in smartphone shipments YoY. The report revealed the COVID-19 pandemic also disrupted the market in the first half of 2020 with the second quarter being the worst as countries went into lockdown. However, by July, sales significantly improved. The market even recorded a 1.5% gain YoY in the fourth quarter of the year.

Samsung who had a market share of 18% in 2019 saw it drop to 15% in 2020 no thanks to issues with supply chain due to the pandemic and a slow reaction towards the end of the year. Things should get better for Samsung this year as it has already launched its new Galaxy A smartphones in multiple markets in the continent.

Itel, another Transsion Holdings brand takes the third spot with a market share of 12%. Itel offers more affordable phones than its sister brands Tecno and Infinix. You wouldn’t be wrong to call its lineup entry-level and as we can see, that segment has helped it enter the top three.

Huawei still keeps the fourth spot in Africa despite the challenges it is facing. Counterpoint says the first three quarters were strong but its shipments declined significantly in the fourth quarter. We can attribute that to the trade ban which has prevented it from getting components and thus affected the launch of new models in the market. Its market share has dropped from 10% to 8% and is expected to drop even further as things haven’t improved this year even with the new U.S. administration.

Infinix, the third Transsion Holdings brand closes the top 5 with a market share of 7%. Counterproint reports that they recorded strong market gains in the second half of the year and it is the transsion brand with the highest average selling price. However, it has begun to lower its prices based on market realities and is expected to grab a larger share of the market this year.

Xiaomi saw its market share double from 2% in 2019 to 4% by the end of 2020. Its shipments increased by 126% YoY, thanks to increased sales in key markets such as Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, and Nigeria. Xiaomi is also said to be expanding its offline presence in the continent and by directly managing channels, it should record an increase in market share this year. Xiaomi has already announced its Redmi Note 10 series in key markets like Nigeria where they will slug it out with Samsung’s new Galaxy A series smartphones.

OPPO also doubled its market share from 2% to 4% and saw its shipments grow 57% YoY. It made its entry into the continent a few years ago and has already recorded success in markets such as Egypt and Algeria. OPPO is also building its offline channels and is partnering with key operators in the continent.

Apple and HMD Global (Nokia) both retain their 1% market share. The latter hasn’t recorded significant success in the continent, no thanks to better offerings at lower prices from the competition. Another name on the list is Realme who didn’t have a market share in 2019 but now controls 1%. The brand is yet to launch in some markets such as Nigeria but we won’t be surprised if they do so this year.

Counterpoint also revealed that most of the sales recorded, over 80% to be specific, come from smartphones in the sub-$200 category and that trend is expected to continue. 5G smartphones are not popular yet in the region and will most likely not be in the next few years since deployment is yet to commence in several countries, nevertheless, a few 5G devices are already being sold.

Source : https://www.gizmochina.com/2021/04/19/counterpoint-tecno-overtakes-samsung-to-lead-african-smartphone-market-xiaomi-doubles-its-share/

You won't see xiaomi bots on this kind of thread as they've bitten the dust. spewing hate everywhere

Mohbola:
You won't see xiaomi bots on this kind of thread as they've bitten the dust. spewing hate everywhere

Lol..

Are you lot not being MYOPIC?

In just TWO years of being present in the Continent..

Xiaomi is already at 4% share..

Has a 126% YOY growth..

At this rate,in a few years Xiaomi will be doing what they do best..

Knocking brands out of their PERCH..

We mooove!!

donbenie:
Lol..
Are you lot not being MYOPIC?
In just TWO years of being present in the Continent..
Xiaomi is already at 4% share..
Has a 126% YOY growth..
At this rate,in a few years Xiaomi will be doing what they do best..
Knocking brands out of their PERCH..
We mooove!!

keep moving.

Mohbola:
keep moving.

Yeah..

Third biggest Smartphone brand in the world..

Not some local Champion..

donbenie:
Yeah..

Third biggest Smartphone brand in the world..

Not some local Champion..

Local champion that others are copying it's market strategy

Mohbola:
Local champion that others are copying it's market strategy

Which market strategy?

Xiaomi is number one in the whole of India,a subcontinent with more population than the whole of Africa..

A place with the same demography as Africa..

You think Tecno has anything new to teach them?

Transsion is where they are because Africa was not a priority to other OEMs,unfortunately for them that is no longer the case..

Una no be mate at all.. Tecno all the way

donbenie:
Which market strategy?

Xiaomi is number one in the whole of India,a subcontinent with more population than the whole of Africa..

A place with the same demography as Africa..

You think Tecno has anything new to teach them?

Transsion is where they are because Africa was not a priority to other OEMs,unfortunately for them that is no longer the case..

do you know why other OEMs started the "budget" line? because they wanted to get most of the Africa market share from Transsion.

Mohbola:
do you know why other OEMs started the "budget" line? because they wanted to get most of the Africa market share from Transsion.

Lol..

'Why Other OEMs started the budget line?'


Are you seriously somehow implying that TRANSSION originated budget Smartphones?

Seriously?

And you are on a Smartphone thread?

donbenie:
Lol..

'Why Other OEMs started the budget line?'


Are you seriously somehow implying that TRANSSION originated budget Smartphones?

Seriously?

And you are on a Smartphone thread?

If you do not understand, ask. In order to have a share of the African market after Transsion took over, other brands started producing 'budget' phones. I will take samsung for example, when did they start their A and M series? And why did they start producing phones for low income earners?

Mohbola:
If you do not understand, ask. In order to have a share of the African market after Transsion took over, other brands started producing 'budget' phones. I will take samsung for example, when did they start their A and M series? And why did they start producing phones for low income earners?

If I don't understand what?

Xiaomi have been producing budget devices since day one..

In fact their USP has always been budget and budget oriented products..

So..

Sorry to bust to bust your bubbles but Transsion did not invent anything..

Tecno always leading

OlofofoAdugbo1:
wow !!!

Amazing!!!

Awesome!!!

despite all the negative bashing and attacks from those bunch of "over sabi" people who claims to know about phone more than all Nigerians.

To over take Samsung no be beans , well done to TECNO MOBILE.

congratulations to them.

With the rate of poverty in Africa it's
A simple logic

This applies to Africa only, right?
Where else is transsion device used other than Africa?
Transsion, the local champion. lol.

shedy03:
This applies to Africa only, right?
Where else is transsion device used other than Africa?
Transsion, the local champion. lol.

Do you know what it takes to dominate a continent?

shedy03:
This applies to Africa only, right?
Where else is transsion device used other than Africa?
Transsion, the local champion. lol.

Do you what is it to dominate a continent? With all the online ranting, has Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi penetrate the African market?. World market that didn't take into consideration the African market?

edoairways:
It therefore mean that xiaomi, Oppo, real me and others have alot of work to do. Someone up there said that 95% of africans live below $500, I don't know where he got that statistics from however we can't rule the fact that most africans are poor. I was opportune to interview a mobile phone vendor. I asked why most Nigerians still purchase tecno ,infinix and itel, his response was brand loyalty and availability of spare parts. Then I ask can tecno introduce snapdragon chipset in their phones. He said yes however the buyers are not willing to pay except for few persons hence tecno is comfortable with mediatek since it is cheap. From our survey, I found that few Nigerians are technical incline with phone technology. Aside that, I also found that most guys watch out for phones which handles heavy games.

Hello, sir.
You were spot on up there. These people understand the African market. It's sad but it's the truth. That's why they made sure that:
1). Devices are everywhere, people can get their hands on them and they are advertised well.
2). Their after-sales service is widespread, and devices can be fixed easily even by roadside technicians because their devices can use the same parts across the lineup. (It's not uncommon to see the display of the Camon 15 used on the Infinix S5 Pro).
3). Brand awareness campaigns, online promos and contests, giveaways with celebrities, etc.
Truth is, these are some of the reasons Samsung is still the phone boss worldwide (when it comes to sales). It isn't just important having the best specs on a gadget. It's getting the average Joe Blow's mitts on the damn things. Why do you think LG failed and Sony is struggling with their mobile division? People have to know a product exists.
Seriously, only enthusiasts, techies, power users (like me ) or fans order phones overseas. The average Naija peep don't like stress. Why sweat to get your hands on a phone that, yes, it is great value for money but, no, it's hard to buy, it's tough to fix and it's filled with all kindsa stuff most people will never use? (it took a year for my friend who uses a Galaxy S8 to realize that it has iris recognition!)
Look, I'm being pragmatic here. I ain't sayin' an ir blaster isn't important; what I'm saying is that most Nigerians don't give a shit. Educate them? You wanna teach your lecturer how to use his phone?
Let's get real, hermanos.