Phone vendors outside the Top 5 account for half of Q2 shipments

Smaller smartphone vendors are driving more growth in the global mobile phone market, claims research firm IDC.

The market grew six per cent year-on-year in Q2 2013, with vendors shipping 432.1 million mobile phones in 2Q13, compared to 407.7 million units in Q2 2012. 

Vendors outside the Top 5 (like HTC which makes the HTC One, pictured) accounted for 44.8 per cent of the overall shipment volume, up from 42.2 per cent in Q2 2012.

The Top 5 currently consists of Samsung, Apple, LG, Lenovo and ZTE.

"The growth in the mobile phone market was partly driven by vendors from outside the Top 5 who experienced torrid shipment growth that outpaced the overall market," said IDC in a statement.

"Several vendors, including Alcatel and Huawei, had high double and triple-digit growth rates in the second quarter for their Android-based offerings shipped to high-growth countries such as China and India. In Q2 2013, these vendors from outside the Top 5 accounted for 44.8 per cent of the overall shipment volume, up from 42.2 pr cent in the same quarter one year ago."

In terms of smartphones alone, vendors shipped 237.9 million units in Q2 2013 compared to 156.2 million units Q2 2012. This represents 52.3 per cent year-on-year-growth, the highest annual growth rate in five quarters. 

"The smartphone market is still a rising tide that’s lifting many ships," said Kevin Restivo, Senior Research Analyst with IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. "Though Samsung and Apple are the dominant players, the market is as fragmented as ever. There is ample opportunity for smartphone vendors with differentiated offerings."

Ramon Llamas, Research Manager with IDC’s Mobile Phone team, added: "Market opportunities exist at all levels, including the high end. While Samsung and Apple accounted for significant share of the overall market, they were not the only vendors active in the high end of the market, and recent device introductions and upcoming launches signal more vendors targeting this space.

"The opposite end of the spectrum is just as, if not more, interesting. Lower-priced smartphones continue to gain traction, but the key for vendors will be to keep prices low while still offering premium devices and services. We fully expect to see large-screen smartphones and other flagship devices establish a presence within the lower-priced smartphone segment as well."