We buy more expensive phones and keep them longer

According to Counterpoint Research, the global smartphone market shrank by about 2-3% in 2018. However, the premium smartphone category (over $ 400) saw a significant increase.

H This category saw an increase of 18% in 2018. Responsible for this increase were mainly Apple and Samsung, which together are responsible for 73% of all sales. Huawei also saw a significant annual increase of 97% in this category, with the P20 and Mate 20 series helping to increase the company's share by 10%.

If we divide the premium category into pieces, most sales were in the $ 400-600 category. Apple continues to lead in this area, but the largest annual increase was seen by OnePlus, which improved its performance in the Indian market, but also played an important role in its cooperation with T-Mobile for the US market.

Significant increase for the category over $ 400.

In the subcategory of smartphones over $ 800, Apple was the clear winner. To be precise, its share, according to Counterpoint Research, reached 80%. The shares of Samsung and Huawei in this part were not announced, but this category is becoming more and more popular.

We first saw mobile phones at these prices in 2017, when the total of devices reached 8%. For 2018 and specifically in October 2018, ultra-premium devices reached a new record with 48%.

The course of the class over 800 dollars.

Counterpoint Research believes that the upward trend of the subcategory of ultra-premium smartphones will continue, thanks to the releases of the new 5G models, but also of the foldable phones. And while research shows that consumers are paying more for their devices, the data show that they hold their devices longer.

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