According to research released by Canalys, 12.2 million smartphones were shipped in the Middle East (apart from Turkey) in the fourth quarter of 2023, a 24% increase over the same period the previous year. Compared to 2022, shipments increased by 11% overall in 2023 to a total of 42.5 million.
Although it is no longer as dominant as it was in prior years, Samsung continues to hold the top spot among vendors. We might witness some reorganizing as Transsion (Tecno, Infinix, iTel), Xiaomi (including Redmi and Poco), and Apple had remarkably comparable Q4 volume sales.
Canalys gives credit to end-of-season sales occasions such as the Dubai Shopping Festival, in addition to Amazon’s Black Friday and Noon’s Yellow Friday. A robust 22% growth was recorded in the UAE, which is actually on the lower end of the spectrum.
In the United Arab Emirates, Xiaomi has been increasing its presence in physical stores. For instance, Xiaomi phones are available in twelve Sharaf DG now, as opposed to just four. Certain models, like the Redmi 12C, were very well-liked.
Shipments to Iraq increased dramatically by 86% as a result of marketing campaigns targeting younger consumers by Xiaomi and Transsion. Honor is becoming more and more well-known in Saudi Arabia and Iraq thanks to its flagship devices, the Magic 5 Pro and the Xa and Xb series.
Motorola experienced a remarkable 49% growth in the area even though it missed the Top 5. Though the company hopes to reach over ten new markets, Moto phones are currently available in a number of Middle Eastern and African nations.
