Alliance Consulting: Global smartphone production in the fourth quarter of 2023 is expected to increase by approximately 12.1% year-on-year, reaching approximately 1.166 billion units for the year.

According to a report by TrendForce, global smartphone production ended a continuous annual decline of 8 quarters in the third quarter of 2023. Brands made a year-end push in the fourth quarter to consolidate market share, leading to a 12.1% year-on-year increase in smartphone production in the fourth quarter of last year, totaling approximately 337 million units. The total production for 2023 is estimated to be around 1.166 billion units, a 2.1% decrease compared to the previous year. Looking forward to 2024, although the pressure of channel inventory is no longer as significant as in 2023, the industry is focusing on AI applications for development. The cooperation between major processor manufacturers and brands will accelerate the popularity of AI-enabled smartphones. To meet the high demand during the holiday season and consolidate market share, brands have increased their production targets. Benefiting from the release of the new iPhone 15 series, Apple's production in the fourth quarter increased by 58.6% seasonally, reaching approximately 78.5 million units, ranking first. The total production for the year is 223 million units, a 4.2% decrease compared to the previous year. However, Apple faces a significant challenge in the Chinese market due to the competition from Huawei. Samsung's production in the fourth quarter decreased by 11% due to the transition period in flagship device sales, totaling approximately 53.5 million units, ranking second. The total production for the year is 229 million units, an 11.3% decrease compared to the previous year. Samsung's market share also declined to 19.6% last year, narrowing the gap with Apple to just 0.5%. Oppo (including Oppo, Realme, OnePlus) achieved a production of approximately 40 million units in the fourth quarter, a 3.4% increase, ranking fourth. The total production for the year is 139 million units, a 4.1% decrease. Vivo (including Vivo, iQoo) achieved a production of approximately 25.5 million units in the fourth quarter, a 4.1% increase, ranking sixth. The total production for the year is 93.5 million units, a 2.9% decrease. These brands face intense market competition due to the challenging global market conditions and Huawei's resurgence in the Chinese market. Transsion entered the global top five and expanded into India and South America. It is worth noting that Transsion (including TECNO, Infinix, itel) achieved a production of approximately 29.5 million units in the fourth quarter, an 11.3% increase. The total production for the year exceeded 90 million units for the first time, representing a 46.3% year-on-year increase, and ranking fifth globally in both quarterly and yearly terms. TrendForce's analysis attributes Transsion's growth to inventory restocking, the expansion of product range, and successful operations in new markets such as India and South America.