Colombia's smartphone shipments plummeted 9% YoY in Q1 2023

Colombia's smartphone shipments in Q1 2023 fell by 9% YoY, alongside the LATAM region which also dropped by 9% YoY in the same period, marking the lowest quarterly volume since Q1 2020, as reported by Counterpoint Research.

The report attributed the drop in the quarter to weakened demand resulting from rising inflation and political uncertainties contributed to the decline.

Recognized brands like Samsung and Apple increased their shipment shares, while HONOR and OPPO made significant gains by doubling their shipments YoY as the Techloy chart below shows.

Samsung's volume grew by 6%, driven by the S23 series, while Apple witnessed a 60% YoY increase due to the popularity of the iPhone 11, but still only represented a small portion of the market.

Meanwhile, Xiaomi faced inventory challenges, while OPPO quadrupled its volume, surpassing Motorola to become the third most important brand in Colombia. Motorola experienced a significant decline, while HONOR achieved a remarkable 200% YoY growth. ZTE's shipment volume declined, missing out on open channel purchases despite operator-focused promotions.