Number one in the world in a declining market. This is the fate that Counterpoint Research has in store for Apple in the short term.
The analyst firm announces a drop in its forecast for global smartphone shipments for the last quarter of 2023 by 6% to 1.15 billion units. So it would be the lowest in 10 years.
This can be explained in particular by the poor state of the Asian market and in particular China, which is experiencing a difficult start to the year economically. The region as a whole is experiencing declines or slowdowns in growth, especially for emerging markets.
A slow Chinese market
According to Counterpoint Research, North America is not at its best either and “remains a significant drag on the global recovery.” The first half was disappointing and the firm expects to see a drop of more than 10% by the end of the year.
Even though the global economy is on the up again, Counterpoint notes that consumers are reluctant to change their smartphone and that the renewal period tends to get longer.
Therefore, analysts are watching the fourth quarter with interest, particularly the expected launch of the iPhone 15 in mid-September. Apple’s keynote should take place around September 12, the second Tuesday of the month, as is customary for the brand.
Analysts see it as “a window for operators to steal high-value customers.” With the overwhelming number of iPhone 12s in the works since its launch in 2020 (over 100 million sold in the first 7 months), it’s time to upgrade devices for many. A boon for Apple, according to Counterpoint Research, which could also benefit from the current trend for buyers to switch to premium or ultra-premium, their target hearts.
For the firm, with Apple’s growing presence in the Chinese market and in India, the end of 2023 could be auspicious and make Apple the future global market leader in terms of shipments throughout the year. A first, if the brand “does not encounter production problems like last year”, those responsible for the forecasts temper.
Source: BFM TV
