A new analytical report this morning states that global smartphone sell-through volumes fell 8% YoY in Q3 2023, the ninth consecutive quarter to record a decline. Volumes declined YoY largely due to slower than expected recovery in consumer demand. But the market’s QoQ growth, especially the positive performance in September despite one full week less of sales of the new iPhones, is likely a sign of positive news ahead.

Counterpoint further reports that "Apple came in second with a 16% market share despite the limited availability of iPhone 15 series, which has been received well so far.

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Samsung continued to lead the global market in volume shipments, capturing a fifth of the total sales in Q3. The new generation of foldables received a mixed response, with the Flip 5 outselling its counterpart by nearly twice as much. However, Samsung’s A-series models remained market leaders in mid-price bands.

MEA was the only region to record YoY growth in Q3, owing to improvements in macroeconomic indicators. Most developed markets, like North America, Western Europe and South Korea, recorded steep declines. However, we expect most developed markets to grow in Q4 largely due to the delayed effect of the iPhone launch."

Following a strong September, we expect the momentum to continue till the year-end, beginning with the full impact of the iPhone 15 series along with the arrival of the festive season in India, followed by the 11.11 sales event in China and ending with the Christmas and end-of-year promotions across regions. In Q4 2023, we expect the market to halt its series of YoY declines.