The global component shortage has resulted in lower smartphone sales in the third quarter of 2021, compared to the same period last year. The COVID-induced supply snag has hit manufacturers hard with smaller stocks, leaving them unable to keep up with the consumer demand.
Also Read: Smartphone shipments in India drop 5 percent YoY; Xiaomi retains lead
According to a research conducted by Gartner, sales dipped 6.8 percent compared to last quarter and delays in the supply chain has hurt production worldwide. Gartner says that production of entry-level and budget smartphones was more affected, compared to premium phones. The main culprits are components such as radio frequency and power management circuits.
Gartner says global #smartphone sales declined 6.8% in third quarter of 2021 due to supply constraints and component shortages. Read more here. https://t.co/12dOASLTQN #IT pic.twitter.com/hjis1y3P5C
— Gartner (@Gartner_inc) November 23, 2021
Premium phones enjoyed increased sales compared to the last quarter but overall, smartphone sales slowed down. Gartner says that due to less stock and delays, customers were left with limited choices at point of sale.
“Despite strong consumer demand, smartphone sales declined due to delayed product launches, longer delivery schedule, and insufficient inventory at the channel,” Anshul Gupta, senior research director at Gartner, said in a statement.
Also Read: India's smartphone shipment to decline in Q4 due to supply challenges: IDC
Samsung emerged as the top seller during the period, shipping over 69,000 units with a market share of 20.2 percent. It’s worth noting that the number of units shipped were lesser than that in the same period in 2020, when Samsung had shipped 80,816 units.
Apple was in second place with 48,458 units shipped for a market share of 14.2 percent. Xiaomi ranked third with 13 percent share of the pie, Vivo fourth with 10.5 percent and Oppo rounded out the top five with 9.8 percent market share.
“Semiconductor shortage will severely disrupt the supply chain and will constrain the production of many electronic equipment types in 2021,” Kanishka Chauhan, Principal Research Analyst at Gartner, had said earlier in May.
Gartner expects the global chip shortage to persist until the second quarter of 2022.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
