Lenovo And Xiaomi Are No Longer Top 5 Smartphone Brands
It appears like Lenovo and Xiaomi are no longer the top smartphone brands. According to a study conducted by research firm IDC, both Lenovo and Xiaomi have lost their top spots this year. Lenovo, which was earlier the fourth largest smartphone maker, has been outgunned by Oppo, while on the other hand Xiaomi which was at fifth position, has been outgunned by Vivo.
IDC’s study is based on the total number of shipments over the first quarter of 2016. While it was a normal news for Xiaomi, whose ranking fluctuated in the past, but for Lenovo it was a surprising change. As Lenovo currently not only ships Lenovo smartphones, but also of its subsidiary Motorola. Both of which are receiving great response in countries like India. So, we were surprised when we first heard about the news.
Xiaomi and Lenovo aren’t the only smartphone maker to be affected by the drastic change in the Chinese market. Apple too noted its first even revenue decline this week. IDC believes that the reason why these smartphone makers are seeing decline in shipment is because consumers aren’t buying as many phones as they originally did. And those who are buying are now looking at alternatives like from Oppo, Vivo and other Chinese brands, who are offering better smartphones at the same price range.
"Lenovo benefited with ASPs [average selling prices] below US$150 in 2013, and Xiaomi picked up the mantle with ASPs below US$200 in 2014 and 2015," wrote IDC researcher Melissa Chau. "Now Huawei, Oppo, and Vivo, which play mainly in the sub-US$250 range, are positioned for a strong 2016."
While Xiaomi has already unveiled its highly anticipated Mi 5 smartphone to beat the competition, Motorola on the other hand is yet to unveil its new flagship and affordable devices. Let’s see how Motorola’s upcoming smartphones are going to affect Lenovo’s sale numbers.
