Counterpoint lowers its forecasted annual smartphone growth for 2021 due to component shortage
A new research report from Counterpoint announces that its forecast for the number of smartphone shipments has been lowered. Previously, the research firm predicted that (global) annual growth in industry is expected to grow by 9% with 1.45 billion units shipped during 2021. The new adjusted forecast requires only 6% growth, with an estimated total shipment of 1.41 billion devices.
Based on the company’s research, some smartphone OEMs and suppliers report that they had only received 80% of their requested quantities of key components during Q2 2021, and the situation looks set to get worse as we move through Q3 2021. ” Now, some OEMs report that they only received 70% of their requested quantity for key components in Q3. This was included in Counterpointis updated weather forecast.
Counterpoint research believes that 90% of the industry is affected and this will affect the forecast for the second half of 2021.
Despite the semiconductor output running at full capacity, the shortage still affects the smartphone industry. A chain reaction was caused by a lack of manufacturing lines for application processors that supply both Qualcomm and Mediatek, limiting smartphone supplies.
“Semiconductor shortages appear to be affecting all brands in ecosystems. Samsung, Oppo, Xiaomi have all been affected and we are lowering our forecasts. But Apple appears to be the most resilient and least affected by the AP shortage situation.” Tom Kang – Research Director at Counterpoint research
