The Southeast Asian smartphone market rebounded in 2024 as vendors shipped 96.7 million units, an annual growth rate of 11%, snapping two years of decline.

For the first time, Chinese smartphone vendor Oppo led the Southeast Asian market, shipping 16.9 million units – a 14% annual increase – and capturing 18% market share. Samsung ranked second, with shipments declining by 9% to 16.6 million units, securing a 17% market share. Transsion and Xiaomi shared third place, each accounting for 16% of the market with 15.5 million units shipped. Notably, Transsion saw a 41% surge in annual shipments, while Xiaomi grew by 21%. Vivo placed fifth with a 13% market share, shipping 12.3 million units – an annual growth rate of 14%.

Canalys Analyst Le Xuan Chiew highlighted that Southeast Asia’s rebound outpaced the global average of 7%. However, despite this growth, the average selling price (ASP) declined due to price-conscious consumers. Samsung’s shipments dropped 9% year-on-year, yet it bucked the trend of falling ASPs, recording a 14% increase in this metric.

“The high-end smartphone market in Southeast Asia has gained momentum, driven by vendors expanding their distribution through new channels. Brands that invested in their channels during the 2023 slowdown are now capitalising on those efforts, ramping up marketing to attract a growing base of upgraders,” added Chiew.

The analyst noted that a vendor’s ranking by volume is “no longer a reliable measure of a brand’s market position” due to short product lifecycles, shipment lead times, and the frequent launch of new models each quarter. Instead, he pointed to value share, operational efficiency, and profitability as better indicators of market standing.