Dec 2 (Reuters) - Global smartphone shipments are expected to decline by 0.9% in 2026 as rising memory chip ​prices are pushing average selling prices to record highs, according to research ‌firm IDC. The drop follows a stronger 2025, when shipments are forecast to grow 1.5% to 1.‌25 billion units, driven by Apple's strong performance and a rebound in China. Apple is on track for a record year in 2025, with shipments projected to rise 6.1% to 247 million units, helped by surging demand for its iPhone 17 ...

Core Viewpoint - Samsung Electronics has launched its first multi-folding smartphone, the Galaxy Z TriFold, to strengthen its position in the competitive foldable smartphone market, which is expected to see intensified competition from Chinese rivals [1][9]. Product Details - The Galaxy Z TriFold is priced at approximately 3.59 million won ($2,440.17) and features a 253.1 millimeter (10-inch) display, which is nearly 25% larger than the Galaxy Z Fold 7 model [2][5]. - The device will be available for sale in South Korea starting December 12, with plans for rollout in China, Singapore, Taiwan, and the UAE within the year, and a potential US launch in the first quarter of next year [4][9]. Market Outlook - Samsung's Executive Vice President, Alex Lim, believes that the foldable market will continue to grow, with the TriFold potentially acting as a catalyst for growth in key segments [3]. - Analysts suggest that the TriFold may serve more as a showcase of new technology rather than a volume-driving flagship, given its status as a first-generation product [7][10]. - The foldable smartphone market is projected to account for less than 2% of the total smartphone market this year, with expectations to rise to under 3% by 2027 [10]. Competitive Landscape - Competition in the foldable smartphone market is increasing, with Huawei having launched the first three-way folding phone and Apple expected to release its first foldable next year [9]. - Samsung's shipment share of the foldable market surged to 64% in the third quarter, up from 9% in the previous quarter, indicating the volatility of market share based on product launch timing [11].

Core Insights - Latin America's smartphone market experienced a 1% year-over-year growth in 3Q25, with shipments reaching 35.2 million units, the highest since 4Q15 [1][3][9] Market Performance - Samsung led the market with 11.6 million units shipped, capturing a 33% market share, primarily due to its low-end A-series models, which constituted 68% of its shipments [1][3] - Xiaomi followed with 6.3 million units (18% share), while Motorola saw an 11% decline in shipments, marking its sixth consecutive quarter of decline [1][3] - HONOR achieved record shipments for the third consecutive quarter with 2.9 million units, driven by growth in the Caribbean, Colombia, and Ecuador [1][3] - TRANSSION rounded out the top five despite a 19% year-over-year decline [1][3] Regional Insights - Brazil, the largest market, accounted for 29% of shipments with 10.3 million units, reflecting a 5% year-over-year increase [3][4] - Mexico, the second-largest market, saw a decline of 11% with 7.4 million units shipped, marking its fourth consecutive quarter of contraction [3][4] Segment Analysis - The sub-$300 segment, which represents 71% of total shipments, experienced a 2% decline year-to-date through 3Q25 due to inventory pressures and reduced consumer demand [5][6] - Conversely, shipments of high-end and premium devices priced above $500 increased by 20% year-to-date, contributing to an 8% rise in average selling prices (ASP) in 3Q25 [6][7] Future Outlook - Omdia projects the Latin American smartphone market to remain flat by the end of 2025, with total shipments expected to reach 137.0 million units [9] - Challenges for 2026 include rising memory and storage costs, which may increase device prices, particularly in entry-level segments [9]

With Zeiss-supported lenses, dedicated imaging chips and a new telephoto extender kit, it is clear that photography sits at the heart of this launch.Vivo X300 Series India Prices: Premium Tag for Serious Buyers Vivo has priced the new flagship duo aggressively to compete with OnePlus, Oppo and Samsung’s high-end line-ups.ModelRAM + StoragePrice (India)Vivo X30012GB + 256GB₹75,999Vivo X30012GB + 512GB₹81,999Vivo X30016GB + 512GB₹85,999Vivo X300 Pro16GB + 512GB₹1,09,999Alongside the phones, Vivo has launched ...

Core Insights - Nubia M153, the first smartphone equipped with Doubao Phone Assistant, has sold out on ZTE's official store, with resale prices on second-hand platforms ranging from 300 to 3500 yuan [1][3] - Doubao Phone Assistant is an AI assistant software developed in collaboration with smartphone manufacturers, based on the Doubao app [1][5] - The device is primarily targeted at developers and tech enthusiasts, priced at 3499 yuan, and is currently only available in a white 16GB+512GB version [2][3] Product Features - Nubia M153 features a 6.78-inch LTPO display and is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile platform [2] - The software will receive updates approximately every two weeks until the end of Q1 2026, with future update frequency to be announced later [3] - Users can interact with the Doubao Phone Assistant via voice commands, side buttons, or Doubao Ola Friend headphones, enhancing the smartphone's operational capabilities [5] Market Response - The launch of Doubao AI Phone has led to increased interest in AI smartphone concept stocks, with ZTE's stock hitting the daily limit and a trading volume of 14.666 billion yuan on December 1 [4] - Other AI smartphone concept stocks, such as Daoming Optics and Furon Technology, have also seen significant market activity following the launch [4] Collaboration and Future Plans - Doubao has no plans to develop its own smartphone but is in discussions with multiple manufacturers to integrate Doubao Phone Assistant into various brands [5] - Currently, no other smartphone brands have announced partnerships with Doubao, although Honor has been reported to collaborate with ByteDance's Volcano Engine for related functionalities [5]

Core Insights - The African smartphone market is experiencing a significant rebound, with Q3 2025 shipments expected to surge by 24% year-on-year, reaching 22.8 million units, following five consecutive quarters of decline [1][7] - This growth outpaces the global smartphone market's moderate recovery, driven by increased demand in key markets, currency stabilization, enhanced financing usage, and improved retail activities [1] Market Performance - Most markets in North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa recorded double-digit growth in smartphone shipments, with Nigeria and Egypt each accounting for 14% of regional shipments [1] - Nigeria's market saw a remarkable 29% increase, attributed to the stabilization of the Naira and a refreshed lineup of models priced below $150, stimulating upgrade demand [1] - Egypt's growth of 19% was primarily fueled by a strong mid-range market, with brands aggressively targeting the $150 to $250 price segment [1] Regional Highlights - South Africa led the growth with a 31% increase, supported by the rise of prepaid models in the low and mid-range markets, new model launches, and increased retail promotions [2] - Kenya experienced a 17% growth, driven by the rising penetration of installment payment plans, which boosted demand for entry-level models [2] Brand Performance - Omdia reported that shipments of smartphones priced below $100 surged by 57%, while those above $500 grew by 52%, indicating a dual growth trend in the market [4] - Transsion's shipments increased by 25%, supported by strong demand in Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa, with popular models like TECNO's Camon40 and Infinix's Hot60 contributing to this growth [4] - Samsung maintained a presence in the high-end market with its Galaxy S24 series, but overall growth was modest at 5%, as consumers favored value models [4] Competitive Landscape - Xiaomi is accelerating its long-term strategy in Africa, planning to enter over 15 new markets and opening its first self-operated flagship store in Morocco, with strong sales in models priced below $150 [8] - OPPO is solidifying its market position in North Africa, focusing on Egypt, while Honor is achieving steady growth in South Africa through competitive models like Honor 200 Lite [8] Future Outlook - Despite the current growth, Omdia's analyst warns of a potential 6% decline in the African smartphone market in 2026 due to rising supply-side pressures, including increased BOM costs and currency weaknesses [8] - These pressures are expected to elevate average selling prices, particularly in the $80 to $150 range, posing new payment challenges for consumers [8]

Core Viewpoint - Morgan Stanley expresses skepticism about the implementation of Doubao AI Assistant, despite its impressive demonstration, and maintains a positive outlook on "super applications" like Tencent, Alibaba, and Meitu [1][4]. Group 1: Doubao AI Assistant Challenges - The demonstration of Doubao AI Assistant showcased impressive multimodal and agent capabilities, but transitioning from demonstration to mass production is challenging [2]. - Deep system-level integration requires modifications to the operating system, which directly impacts the interests of smartphone manufacturers (OEMs) [2][3]. - Major smartphone OEMs are likely to prefer developing their own AI assistants rather than collaborating with ByteDance, limiting the potential partnerships for Doubao [3]. Group 2: Investment Strategy - Given the difficulties in hardware breakthroughs, Morgan Stanley suggests that investment should focus on software application giants with large traffic and scenarios [4]. - The report emphasizes that the dominance of China's "super applications" (e.g., WeChat, Taobao, Meituan) is unlikely to be undermined, as they are also building their own AI capabilities [4]. - Morgan Stanley reiterates an "Overweight" rating for Tencent, Alibaba, and Meitu, providing specific support for each: - Tencent is seen as the best AI application agent in China, with plans to launch its next-generation AI model, Mix Yuan 2.0 [4]. - Alibaba is identified as the best AI infrastructure stock, with expected acceleration in cloud revenue growth [4]. - Meitu is recognized for its "last mile" service capabilities, which are difficult for general AI assistants to fully replace [5].

Core Viewpoint - Samsung Electronics has launched its first multi-folding smartphone to enhance its competitive position in a rapidly intensifying segment of the smartphone market [1] Group 1 - The introduction of the multi-folding smartphone signifies Samsung's commitment to innovation in the mobile device sector [1] - The move is expected to strengthen Samsung's market presence as competition in the smartphone industry escalates [1]

There can never be any sure-shot safe bets in the tech industry. In the dynamic world of technology, today's laggards can suddenly march ahead, leaving the present winners behind. Take the examples of Alphabet (GOOG) (GOOGL) and Apple (AAPL). While dismissed earlier as being the ones who missed the AI train, the tech titans have made a solid comeback, thanks to Gemini 3 and the iPhone 17, respectively. In fact, Apple is set to ship more phones than Samsung (SMSN.L.EB) in 2025, which is happening for the f ...

Core Insights - The article discusses the trend of smartphone manufacturers moving towards a "devaluation" of high-end features to appeal to younger consumers, who have a greater understanding of specifications and performance compared to older demographics [1][3][5]. Group 1: Market Trends - Smartphone manufacturers are adopting a strategy of appealing to young consumers, which leads to a dilemma regarding the balance between high specifications and cost [3][5]. - Consumers desire high specifications at a low price, creating pressure on manufacturers to maintain high performance while minimizing costs [5][7]. Group 2: Cost-Cutting Strategies - One common method for cost reduction is the concealment of specific performance parameters, such as memory frequency and flash storage type, which can significantly impact performance and longevity [8][10]. - Manufacturers often create different versions of a model with varying specifications, where only the highest-priced version features premium components, misleading consumers and reviewers [12][15]. Group 3: Hardware Adjustments - Manufacturers may adjust their supply chain by using lower-cost components in mid-range models while maintaining similar specifications to flagship models, leading to consumer misconceptions about quality [15][17]. - Reducing support for certain 5G frequency bands in lower-tier models is another way to cut costs without significant consumer backlash, as many users may not utilize all available bands [20][22]. Group 4: Software Cost Management - Software development costs are often absorbed by flagship models, allowing manufacturers to reuse software features in lower-priced models, thus saving on development expenses [23][25]. - Some manufacturers monetize software services, such as AI features and gaming enhancements, which may not be included for free in lower-tier models, further contributing to cost savings [27][28].