The recently published IDC report says Transsion has dethroned realme as the number 1 smartphone company in the Philippines in the first quarter of 2023 (see report).
However, I still think realme remains the number 1 smartphone brand in the country. IDC’s decision to consider the three brands composed of TECNO, Infinix, and itel as a single company (Transsion) resulted in this slightly misleading result.
Let me explain further…
IDC top smartphone companies Philippines Q1 2023
The rising brands Infinix and TECNO are indeed owned by a single corporation called Transsion Holdings (read Wiki). However, if IDC will count these brands as a single entity in its rankings, they should also consider realme, OPPO, and vivo as a single company since all three brands are owned by a multinational company called BBK Electronics (source: Android Authority).
If all these brands are considered as single entities in the ranking, realme’s 18.7% market share will come out as number 1. This will be followed by OPPO (15.5%), vivo (13.1%), and Xiaomi (11.9%).
Since TECNO contributes more than 50% of Transsion’s market share, it gets the number 5 spot with at least 9.75%.
TECNO logo
Ultimately, what matters most is how consumers view these brands. In my experience, Filipino consumers consider TECNO and Infinix as separate brands. Meanwhile, Redmi is still viewed the same as Xiaomi and most consumers are aware that narzo is under realme’s wings.
It’s too early for Transsion to celebrate but this report should serve as a warning to realme. They are still the number 1 brand where it matters but their growth is slowing down (see IDC’s 2022 report).
They should intensify their promotions of entry-level smartphones like the popular C-Series. Here’s a recent spotlight of the entry-level realme C-Series.
HONOR logo 2023
Meanwhile, TECNO has the biggest potential to climb the PH smartphone market among Transsion’s brands with their SPARK and POVA series. Infinix enjoys the popularity of its NOTE series.
There’s also the looming threat posed by HONOR Philippines with its high-gear expansion in the country.
