Market intelligence firm Counterpoint Research suggests that the delayed launch of the iPhone 12 last year might have worked in Apple’s favor.
The firm says there were two benefits to the delay …
Apple sales fell
Counterpoint’s headline is that sales of smartphones in Europe were 14% lower in 2020 than the previous year, and that Apple was not immune, and that sales fell by 4% from 2019.
2020 was a roller coaster year for the European smartphone market. The COVID-19 pandemic hit the region hard, leading to supply and demand issues. Meanwhile, economic and job concerns have led consumers to save rather than spend, and widespread closures have meant that many consumers have been unable to visit stores or buy new appliances.
Speaking about the overall market, Jan Stryjak, co-director of Counterpoint Research, said: “April was the worst month of the year, with sales almost 50% lower than 2019. Decline in cases and easing of restrictions led to a recovery during the summer, but the virus returned with vengeance. The cases of COVID-19 increased in September, leading to new closures across Europe from November. So at the end of the year, the market fell again, despite Apple’s best efforts (see below). Overall, the European smartphone market shrank by 14% in 2020 compared to 2019. “
But the delayed launch of the iPhone 12 has advantages
But it points out that Apple outperformed the market as a whole, believing that the delayed launch of the iPhone 12 could be good news rather than bad for the company Cupertino.
Apple may have slowed down slightly in 2020, but that does not tell the full story. The decision to delay the launch of the iPhone 12 seems to be bearing fruit for two reasons. First, it gave the iPhone 11 and iPhone SE the opportunity to show a remarkably long life and sell well throughout many markets throughout the year. And secondly, it has built up demand for the new device which, when it was finally launched in October, sold spectacularly. In fact, the iPhone 12 was Apple’s most successful device launch to date, driving Apple to a record 30% share in Q4 2020.
As many financial pressures diminished over the long or hours, the middle and budget brands performed best.
Xiaomi was the biggest success story in Europe in 2020 and becomes the third largest OEM in the region at the expense of Huawei […] Oppo entered the European market in 2018, but 2020 was the year in which it gained some momentum. Partnerships with Europe’s largest operator groups – namely Vodafone, Telefonica, Orange and Deutsche Telekom – mean that Oppo’s devices are available in the major operator channel in Europe. […] Realme was the fastest growing brand in Europe in 2020, with sales increasing more than tenfold in 2019. The strong value proposition has led to good growth in more price-conscious markets such as Italy, Spain and in Eastern Europe.
Globally, Gartner said earlier this week that Apple is enjoying modest growth at the expense of Samsung.
Photo by Malte Helmhold on Unsplash
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