Samsung, Apple to Lead Global Smartphone Production Rebound in 2022, 5G Phones to Gain Big: TrendForce

5G smartphones are expected to capture nearly half the market

By David Delima | Updated: 18 November 2021 13:05 IST

Samsung, Apple to Lead Global Smartphone Production Rebound in 2022, 5G Phones to Gain Big: TrendForce

Apple is expected to sell around 243 million units with a 5.4 year-over-year growth in 2022

Highlights

Samsung and Apple expected to see increased production in 2022
Companies may face components shortages due to limited foundry capacity
Smartphone industry expected to produce around 1.39 billion units in 2022

Smartphone production around the world took a hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic followed by a debilitating global semiconductor shortage. But a new report from a market research firm shows that production could rebound as soon as 2022. Thanks to the usual smartphone replacement cycle and increased demand from developing markets, the smartphone industry is expected to see a production increase to 1.39 billion units, with 5G smartphones making up close to half of the market share as companies adapt to the challenges posed by the pandemic.

According to the report published by TrendForce, smartphone production is set to touch pre-pandemic levels in 2022 with a year-on-year growth of 3.8 percent. Among the predictions made for the coming year, the report states that companies are expected to produce around 1.39 billion smartphone units. Out of these 600 million units are expected to be 5G phones, making up 45.7 percent of the smartphone market share, according to the report.

For 2021, the 5G smartphone market share is projected to touch 37.4 percent with around 500 million units produced. However, despite the Chinese government's efforts to encourage 5G commercialisation, which has resulted in an 80 percent market share in China, the report claims that infrastructure build-out and higher 5G tariffs could show the growth of the global market share in 2022. Manufacturers could also face shortages in sourcing components for 5G smartphones due to limited foundry capacities.

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Samsung could produce around 276 million units in 2022, according to the report, which notes that foldable phones like the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and the Galaxy Z Fold 3, and features like the company's S Pen have helped it maintain its premium-segment market share. However, the company could face competition in developed markets, while demand in emerging markets will continue to focus on entry-level models, the report says.

Apple, on the other hand, is expected to sell around 243 million units with a 5.4 year-over-year growth. The firm says that Apple could release an iPhone SE (2020) successor with a 4.7-inch display, A15 chipset, and support for 5G connectivity in the first quarter. Apple is also expected to release four smartphone models in the second half of 2022, which could see increased price tags due to rising component prices, according to the report.

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Trendforce also sees an increase in the market share of Chinese manufacturers like Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo. Xiaomi is projected to produce around 220 million units, with a market share of 16 percent, which includes the company's subsidiaries like Mi, Redmi, POCO, and Black Shark. Meanwhile, Oppo and Vivo could produce around 208 million units and 149 million units respectively, according to the report.

Are the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 still made for enthusiasts — or are they good enough for everyone? We discussed this on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Vibrant folding display
Very good build quality, easily pocketable
Top-tier performance
Water-resistant design

Bad
Main screen washes out under sunlight
Cover screen could be more functional
Weak battery life, slow charging
Low-light video could be better

Read detailed Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 review

Display (Primary) 6.70-inch

Processor octa-core

Front Camera 10-megapixel

Rear Camera 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB

Battery Capacity 3300mAh

OS Android 11

Resolution 1080x2640 pixels

More Samsung mobiles Samsung mobiles price in India

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Large, vibrant folding display
Intuitive software for multitasking
Top-tier performance
Great-sounding speakers
Water-resistant design

Bad
Average battery life
Cameras could do better in low light
Heavy, bulky when folded
Expensive

Read detailed Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 review

Display (Primary) 7.60-inch

Processor octa-core

Front Camera 10-megapixel + 4-megapixel

Rear Camera 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel

RAM 12GB

Storage 256GB, 512GB

Battery Capacity 4400mAh

OS Android 11

Resolution 2208x1768 pixels

More Samsung mobiles Samsung mobiles price in India

iPhone SE (2020)

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Modern processor
Slim, light, easy to use
Good daylight camera performance
Regular iOS updates likely for many years

Bad
Dated looks and small screen
Single rear camera
Average battery life
Expensive

Read detailed Apple iPhone SE (2020) review

Display 4.70-inch

Front Camera 7-megapixel

Rear Camera 12-megapixel

Storage 64GB

OS iOS 13

Resolution 750x1334 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

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Further reading: Samsung, Apple, Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, 5G, Covid-19, chip shortage

David Delima

Email David Delima

As a writer on technology with Gadgets 360, David Delima is interested in open-source technology, cybersecurity, consumer privacy, and loves to read and write about how the Internet works. David can be contacted via email at DavidD@ndtv.com, on Twitter at @DxDavey, and Mastodon at mstdn.social/@delima. More