Heaptalk, Jakarta — International Data Corporation (IDC) revealed that Indonesia’s smartphone market experienced a downturn of 1.2% year-on-year (YoY) to 34.6 million units in 2023. This data indicates the second consecutive decline after an 11.3% drop in 2022.
In 2023, pressure from the supply side is reduced but weak demand continues to impact the market, particularly in H1 2023. However, the market grew 6.1% YoY and 1.3% quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) to reach 9 million units in Q4 2023. IDC saw some vendors taking advantage of year-end celebrations by updating lower-end models to boost volume. Meanwhile, other vendors launched flagship devices to increase value.
Associate Market Analyst at IDC Vanessa Aurelia explained, “After recovering in 2H23, the Indonesian smartphone market should continue to grow in 2024, albeit in low-single digits. Uncertainty from a new government plus geopolitical tensions and the global economic slowdown will continue to be barriers.”
She further said that the smartphone market is also experiencing changes, demonstrated by longer replacement cycles and an increase in the share of higher-priced smartphones.
Apple and Samsung dominate at higher prices
Another interesting finding is that the higher-priced smartphone segment (>US$600) was the only one to grow in 2023 with a 78% YoY growth, dominated by Apple and Samsung. On the other hand, the mid-range segment (US$200-US$600) dropped 14.9% YoY after rising 3.9% YoY last year, still led by Oppo.
The lower-end segment (<US$200) remained flat as it dropped 0.3% after declining 19.9% YoY last year. This performance was primarily driven by Transsion’s recovery in 2023, while Vivo still led the overall segment. These changes pushed the average selling price (ASP) to rise 8.3% YoY, reaching US$204 in 2023.
Meanwhile, the 5G smartphone segment in Indonesia grew 31.5% YoY in 2023, capturing a 17.1% market share, led by Samsung. This growth, driven primarily by vendors’ expansion of the range of 5G models, is expected to accelerate as these devices become more affordable and competitive compared to 4G models.
However, the limited availability of 5G networks across Indonesia, due to infrastructure constraints and high operational costs, is a major obstacle in accelerating the adoption. This scarcity of 5G networks may deter potential consumers from investing in higher-priced 5G devices, given the lack of tangible benefits when access to and utilization of the network remains limited.
