IDC: Mobile phone shipments in the GCC region will grow by 13.8% in Q4 2022

According to the latest data released by IDC, mobile phone shipments in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region fell 5.9% month-on-month in the third quarter of 2022, totaling 5.23 million units. Smartphone shipments fell 5.7% month-on-month to 4.74 million units; feature phone shipments fell 8.1% over the same period to 480,000 units. In terms of value, the GCC smartphone market was worth $1.93 billion in the third quarter of 2022, up 5.4% month-on-month; the total feature phone market was worth $8.42 million, down 17%.

Saudi Arabia accounted for 52.4% of all smartphone shipments in the GCC in the third quarter of 2022, with shipments down 4.4% from the previous quarter. The UAE was the second largest market, accounting for 23.6% of the region's smartphone market, with shipments down 7.2% from the previous quarter.

Samsung maintained its lead in the GCC region with a 47.6% share in the third quarter of 2022, while its shipments in the region fell 7.2% month-on-month. Apple, ranked second, with a market share of 16.8%, saw its shipments fall 0.8% month-on-month, lower than previously expected, as supply constraints led to sales bottlenecks. Xiaomi, which ranked in the top three, accounted for 15.2% of the GCC smartphone market in the third quarter of 2022, but its shipments fell 5.1% month-on-month due to its focus on mid-range and high-end devices.

The GCC smartphone market is expected to grow 13.8% quarter-on-quarter in the fourth quarter of 2022. Events such as the 2022 World Cup in Qatar have boosted retail footfall in the region. Supply issues are expected to be somewhat resolved, and demand for Apple's latest range of devices will help drive overall value growth.