According to Counterpoint’s Market Pulse Service, worldwide smartphone sales fell to 96 millions units in May. This is a decrease of 4% compared to April, and a 10% drop compared with May 2021. Notable is the fact that this is the second time in ten years that the number has fallen below 100 million units.
Counterpoint Research Monthly Pulse – May 2022
The 96million is the second consecutive month of sales declines and the eleventh consecutive month of annual sales declines. Despite the strong recovery after the initial COVID-19 wave of 2020, smartphone sales have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. While supply chain problems are improving, rising inflation and slowdowns at factories in China and Ukraine are still the major factors that are limiting smartphone sales.
Smartphone vendors are seeing inventory buildup due to lower demand. This will affect the Q2 smartphone shipment data. The situation in H2 will improve as supply chains stabilize and factories in China resume full operation, according to Counterpoint analysts.
