Telecom
Huawei Overtakes Apple for the Second Position on Global Smartphone Market
International Data Corporation (IDC) preliminary data for Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, shows that smartphone vendors shipped a total of 342.0 million units during the second quarter of 2018 (2Q18), resulting in a 1.8% decline when compared to the 348.2 million units shipped in the second quarter of 2017.
The drop marks the third consecutive quarter of year-over-year declines for the global smartphone market and only the fourth quarter of decline in history.
IDC believes this is the result of churn in some highly penetrated markets, although many high growth markets still exist and should return smartphone shipments to overall growth.
The arrival of Huawei in the second position marks the first quarter since 2Q10 where Apple has not been the number one or two smartphone company in terms of market share.
Huawei delivered shipments of 54.2 million units to move into the second position with a record high market share of 15.8%.
Samsung maintained a comfortable lead, although indications from its recent 2Q18 earnings call suggest its mobile division revenues will face challenges moving forward.
Ryan Reith, program vice president with IDC’s Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers, said “The continued growth of Huawei is impressive, to say the least, as is its ability to move into markets where, until recently, the brand was largely unknown,”
“It is worth noting that Apple moved into the top position each of the last two holiday quarters following its product refresh, so it’s likely we’ll see continued movement among the top ranked companies in 2018 and beyond.
“For most markets, the ultra-high end ($700+) competition is largely some combination of Apple, Samsung, and Huawei, depending on the geography, and this is unlikely to change much in the short term.
“At the same time, Xiaomi, OPPO, and vivo are all slowly pushing their customer base upstream at a price tier slightly lower than the top three.
“This is an area they should all watch closely as the builds in this segment are getting increasingly more advanced.”
Anthony Scarsella, research manager with IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, said “The combination of market saturation, increased smartphone penetration rates, and climbing ASPs continue to dampen the growth of the overall market.”
“Consumers remain willing to pay more for premium offerings in numerous markets and they now expect their device to outlast and outperform previous generations of that device which cost considerably less a few years ago.
“To contest this slowdown, vendors will need to focus on new innovative features and form factors combined with incentives and promotions to drive growth in many of these highly competitive markets moving forward.”
Highlight of smartphone companies shows that Samsung once again remained the leader in the worldwide smartphone market despite a 10.4% decline in shipments from last year.
The flagship S9/S9+, which launched late in the first quarter, witnessed slower than normal sales according to Samsung.
Samsung claims the slowdown is due to both intensified competition at the high end and an overall sluggish smartphone market.
The Korean giant will look to bolster sales in the coming weeks as we await the arrival of the new Galaxy Note 9.
The new Note will be unveiled on August 9th and is expected to launch earlier than the Note 8 to gain a foothold ahead of pending fall launches from Apple and others.
The device is expected to feature a bigger battery, new S-Pen capabilities, and increased performance.
Huawei surpassed Apple for the first time to move into the second position based on global market share.
It continues to lead the China smartphone market with a record-high market share of 27.0% in 2Q18.
In the first half of this quarter, Huawei’s P20/P20 Pro series found strong demand in the $600-$800 price segment, helping Huawei build a high profile in the market.
In the second half, with the release of its “GPU Turbo” technology, Huawei continued to earn a good reputation. 618 promotions led to strong sales for Honor models in the online channels as the Honor brand continues to be a key driver of growth for the Chinese tech giant.
Apple dropped to the third spot for the first time despite its second quarter growth.
Apple shipped 41.3 million iPhones, representing modest growth of 0.7% over the 41.0 million units shipped last year.
The iPhone continued to perform well at the high end as the iPhone X remains a top seller in many markets.
Apple will look to regain control of the market this fall with the expected launch of three next generations of iPhone models.
The new models are rumored to bring different screens sizes, price points, increased performance, and new features to the table when they arrive next quarter.
Xiaomi has pulled ahead of Samsung for the number 1 position in India over the past few quarters and has now closed the gap with Samsung in Indonesia as it ramped up its local production to address the increased demand during Ramadhan period, while also expanding its online channel presence and opening up more Mi home stores in the country.
OPPO faced a slowdown in key markets like India and most of Southeast Asia as it eased back on its aggressive marketing and sales activities in the region.
Despite this, the company still managed to grow 5.1% over last year as it continued its expansion into other markets such as the Middle East & Africa.
The recent launch of the Find X has also garnered Oppo some praise as the innovative, bezel-less and notch-less design has grabbed the attention of many.
Telecom
9Mobile Blames Network Outage on Data Center Fire in Lagos
9Mobile, mobile network operator, has blamed a network outage this week on a fire incident at its main data center in Lagos.
The fire is said to have happened on Tuesday night (December 17), leading to network issues for 9Mobile’s customers until Thursday.
9Mobile said it had experienced multiple fiber cuts which had led to some of the disruption.
Its customers have taken to social media to complain about a lack of voice and data services.
9Mobile is estimated to have more than 11 million mobile subscribers.
The latest outage follows a six-day outage that impacted the carrier in July.
“9Mobile sincerely apologizes for the recent service outages experienced by our valued customers which have affected our ability to provide voice, data, and internet services. We understand the frustration these disruptions have caused and deeply regret the inconvenience,” said 9Mobile in a statement.
“Our technical team has identified the root causes of the outages including a fire incident at our main data center in Lagos last night which severely impacted services, especially in the Lagos and South-West. We are grateful for the swift intervention of the Lagos State Fire Service, which helped prevent further damage.”
The cause of the fire was not revealed by the carrier.
Acknowledging the fiber cuts, 9Mobile explained that prior to the fire, a fiber cut on the backbone links in Lagos led to a total data outage across the country. Other vandalism incidents in Lagos and Abuja led to a total service outage in the southwest and a data service outage in the north of the country.
Telecom
Sytemap Announces 50% Discount on Verified Lands for Women, March 8–14, 2025
Sytemap, a trusted leader in land acquisition and technology solutions, is thrilled to announce a groundbreaking initiative designed to empower women through affordable and secure land ownership.
From March 8 to March 14, 2025, women—including professionals in Africa and the diaspora—will enjoy an exclusive 50% discount on plots from verified estate developers through the Sytemap platform.
This initiative, themed “Her Land, Her Future,” underscores Sytemap’s commitment to breaking cultural and economic barriers that have historically sidelined women from property ownership. Partnering with over 30 reputable estate developers, Sytemap is creating unprecedented opportunities for women to invest in land with confidence.
For decades, women in Nigeria and across Africa have faced significant hurdles in land acquisition, including high costs, fear of fraud, and societal biases. In fact, studies show that 65% of victims of land scams in Nigeria are women.
Sytemap’s CEO, Nnamdi Uba, stated, “Women have long been marginalized in land ownership, a critical path to building wealth and security. Our mission is not only to make land ownership accessible but to eliminate the fears and uncertainties that hold women back.”
With this initiative, Sytemap leverages its reputation for transparency and cutting-edge technology to offer a simple, scam-free, and empowering process for land purchase.
The campaign is designed to resonate with young professionals, particularly women with good-paying jobs who are ready to invest in their future. For women in the diaspora, the initiative offers tailored support, including seamless international payment options and an innovative plot-monitoring app that allows buyers to manage their investments from anywhere in the world.
Key Features Include:
50% Discount: Available only during the trade fair window (March 8–14, 2025).
Verified Estates: Secure locations vetted by Sytemap and trusted developers.
Flexible Payment Plans: Options to spread payments over several months to ease financial stress.
Digital Monitoring: A dedicated app to track land purchases and allocation progress.
Guaranteed Transparency: Every outright payment comes with instant, verifiable certificate allocation, with land documents delivered within three weeks.
This initiative will launch during the “Sytemap Land Trade Fair 1.0,” an event bringing together key stakeholders, women’s organizations, and influencers to celebrate this transformative moment. Women in the diaspora are encouraged to participate and take advantage of this life-changing opportunity.
Imagine a future where women are equal stakeholders in property ownership, shaping communities and securing generational wealth.
Sytemap invites women across Africa and the diaspora to claim their space and rewrite the narrative of land ownership.
For more details and to reserve your plot, visit https://sytemap.com/women.
Telecom
Konga to Launch Africa’s First AI-Powered Hit Music & Commerce Radio Station
Konga, a leading composite e-commerce group, is poised to transform the Nigerian media and commerce landscape with the upcoming launch of its AI-powered FM radio station in Lagos.
The groundbreaking initiative, set to debut in January 2025, will mark Africa’s first Hit Music & Commerce Station, blending Technology, Entertainment, Commerce and more to drive impactful connections across the continent and the world.
A reliable source reveals that the station – KongaFM will be a pioneering platform to empower brands, distributors, and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to connect with untapped markets, revolutionizing commerce in real time. While offering businesses a new avenue for product visibility and market penetration, the station promises to deliver non-stop hit music, ensuring listeners enjoy a unique mix of entertainment and commercial opportunities. It will be a completely new experience for Nigerians.
Equipped with state-of-the-art broadcasting technology and staffed by a dynamic new blend of seasoned professionals and youthful talent, the station will begin test transmissions in the second week of January 2025.
Konga’s latest media venture comes as part of its broader strategy to disrupt conventional marketing communications and amplify consumer engagement across sectors, including FMCG, electronics, and digital solutions.
The move is expected to send ripples across Nigeria’s FX market, potentially influencing the pricing and availability of key goods and commodities. This aligns with Konga’s history of innovation in the e-commerce sector.
This initiative will also complement Konga’s existing TV arm and other media services, positioning the brand as a dominant force in Marketing Communications. Together, these platforms will create synergies that set new benchmarks for how entertainment and commerce converge in Africa while streaming globally.
When asked for further details, Prince Nnamdi Ekeh, CEO of Konga Group, remained tight-lipped, stating that “full details and official announcements will be made in January 2025.”
The anticipation around this launch continues to grow as industry experts and media enthusiasts eagerly await what is already being hailed as the next major evolution in Africa’s media and commerce space.
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