Smartphone Shipments in Q3 Fall Short of Projections
Smartphone shipments in Q3 came in under forecast, due to an iPhone miss and pricey Android models, an IDC report said. Vendors shipped 355.2 million units in Q3, said the preliminary report. Shipments grew 6.8 percent from a year ago…
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to 355.2 million, for the second-highest quarter of shipments on record, IDC said. The 3Q shipments were “slightly below” IDC's previous forecast of 363.8 million units, largely due to “slightly lower than expected iPhone shipments” and flagship Android launches from several top-tier original equipment makers with price points “outside the consumer sweet spot,” it said Wednesday. Apple’s 48 million iPhone shipments (see 1510280033) were short of IDC’s 50.4 million unit forecast, analyst Ryan Reith told us. Consumers are becoming more aware of “alternative buying options” when buying a smartphone, Reith said. In Q3, vendors tried to “outclass each other in both features and design," leading to "fierce competition" at the high end as companies try to challenge market leaders Samsung and Apple, analyst Anthony Scarsella said. IDC expects the bulk of volume and growth to come from low-end to midrange phones, particularly in emerging markets, he said.