The Middle East smartphone market (excluding Turkey) is expected to grow 6% in 2023 to 40.4 million units with Apple and Samsung the biggest brands, according to new data from Canalys.
“Samsung and Apple continue to be the defacto brands in the channel with strong power to stimulate sell-through. On the other hand, emerging vendors still face challenges to drive more sell-in as channels cannot take in more inventory,” says Manish Pravinkumar, senior consultant at Canalys. “While Samsung is bolstering its position in the premium market with more supply and marketing investment in its recently announced S23 series, the supply of iPhones to the Middle east region is anticipated to rise in upcoming quarters. Emerging brands such as Xiaomi, Infinix, and Tecno will learn from their current challenges in channel management. Given retail channels’ demand for better profitability, these brands will look to incentivize the channel by offering rebates while restraining their spending in ATL marketing.”
According to Canalys, Saudi Arabia, the largest market in the region, is expected to expand by 9% as foreign direct investments increase and the market shifts from a conservative to an open economy. The United Arab Emirates’s smartphone market is forecasted to increase by 6% due to the country’s robust expansion in non-oil industries like real estate, tourism and trade.
Iraq, a cash-driven consumer market, showed strong potential in 2022 but needs restructuring policies to fight forex fluctuations. In comparison, Kuwait and Qatar are expected to grow marginally, following the momentum of rising oil prices and the FIFA World Cup in 2022, which increased travel and retail sales.
Article provided with permission from AppleWorld.Today
