Tech-savvy Kenyan youths and competitive prices compared to peers in the market saw realme join the top six 5G-smartphone sellers in the world for the first time.
According to the latest report by global research firm, Counterpoint, realme joined Samsung, Apple, Xiaomi, OPPO^ and Vivo as the top six shippers in Q4, 2021.
Apple surpassed Samsung to become the top smartphone vendor during the period under review, shipping 81.5 million units.
Realme joined the top league with 165 per cent year-on-year growth in unit shipments in the fourth quarter of 2021, across 20 global markets including Africa.
The Chinese phone marker shipped over five million during the quarter.
A focus on young mobile phone users-accounting for the largest share of Kenya’s population, competitive pricing model, a wide 5G portfolio and strong multi-channel strategy, helped realme to grow the fastest over the period under review,’’, Counterpoint said in a statement.
It has maintained the faster growth for the third quarter in a row since the beginning of 2021.
And while the performance was driven by Western European countries such as the UK, Italy, Spain, France and Switzerland, realme sees faster growth in Kenya and Across Africa, this year as these markets prepare for mass roll out 5G in 2022.
“We see our focus and commitment to meeting dynamic needs of Young and tech-savvy youths in Kenya, yielding better results in the country,” said realme Founder and CEO Sky L.
The latest ranking, Li said has enhanced realme’s position as an industry leader in democratizing 5G.
Since 2020, realme has been offering a broader 5G portfolio, having grown from just two 5G smartphones at the beginning of 2020 to 15 at the beginning of 2021 and well over double of that by Q4 2021.
It has lowered the average selling price (ASP) of its Number Series 5G devices from $270 in Q1 2020 to under 200USD (9 5G) in Q1 2022, while simultaneously offering more advanced 5G smartphone options in premium flagship GT Series to meet more users’ needs.
Already, realme 9i, the newest model in the number series launched in the market earlier at the beginning of 2022 is recording high sales. It is one of the first phones in Kenya to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 chipset.