In the second half of 2022, China's smartphone market has seen a new round of shrinkage, and the "chill" is spreading to every corner of the industry. Survival is the first priority for everyone, so manufacturers from all walks of life are actively looking for ways to survive. Some manufacturers stick to their inherent ecological niches, some choose to actively explore new businesses, and some have ushered in very big changes...
From the data in the first half of the year, we can find that high-end smartphones have been relatively little affected. , even with the superposition of multiple factors such as changes in the original ecological pattern and unabated demand for high-end consumers, this market still has many growth possibilities. For manufacturers who want to make a difference in the course of history, they need to have the matching strength to seize the opportunity, but this is by no means easy.
The high-end smartphone market is changing
Through the recent market report given by Counterpoint, a well-known industry research organization, we can see China’s high-end smartphone market, that is, the mobile phone market with a price of about 2,750 yuan or more. , the following three trends have emerged: Apple is still the unshakable leader, vivo and Honor have seized the growth opportunities of high-end mobile phones, and more consumers are willing to buy higher priced products .
Although the overall size of the smartphone market reached a historical low in the past decade in the second quarter of 2022, Apple's market share has increased in the past year, from 43% in the second quarter of 2021 to 46% . In the market for flagship mobile phones priced at US$1,000 (approximately RMB 6,850) and above, Apple also achieved a year-on-year growth of 147%, which is an astonishing market appeal.
Picture source counterpoint
Apple’s counter-trend growth may be summed up in two main factors: sustained and stable high-level product performance, which has reached new heights in recent years on the iPhone 13 series, making consumers more willing to compare horizontally. Choose Apple; the word-of-mouth momentum inherited from multiple generations of products still exists, making the public trust Apple more when recognizing high-end mobile phones and give priority to the iPhone.
The overall share of the Android camp has been squeezed by Apple, but two brands have achieved significant growth. Honor has increased from 6% a year ago to 9%, and vivo has increased from 6% to 13%, which is equivalent to more than doubling its share. Market share increased. If we take a closer look at the only two leading brands that have significantly grown in the high-end market, we can find many commonalities, including but not limited to products, services, brand tone, etc.
In the process of vivo catching up and ranking second only to Apple, vivo X80 has made a great contribution. This manufacturer's persistence and changes at the above-mentioned levels have finally focused on this product that is related to the trend of the high-end smartphone market in the first half of 2022. With considerable single product sales and the steady growth of other product lines, together This has contributed to vivo’s substantial progress in China’s high-end smartphone market.
Regarding the fact that more people are willing to pay for higher-priced mobile phones, professional analyst Mengmeng Zhang believes that consumer decision-making is affected by the environment and product iterations, and they are more inclined to buy high-end smartphones to avoid frequent upgrades. As a result, products like the iPhone 13 series that are truly competitive and have upgrade points have received a lot of recognition in exchange for real money.
Picture source counterpoint
We also found evidence of the collective improvement of the product strength of Chinese mobile phone brands - more excellent high-end smartphones have entered the market and are loved by consumers, various selling points that support prices have been established, and the hot sales of new products have driven vivo, Honor, etc. The brand has grown significantly. Chinese mobile phones have not been overwhelmed by Apple's strength. Instead, they have found a piece of the sky under the "cold wave" in their own way.
To gain recognition from high-end consumers, you have to start from the “heart”
Let’s dismantle it carefully and see how high-end smartphones other than iPhone gain recognition from consumers.
. Dare to break through the boundaries of smartphones
Analysts believe that smartphones overall lack new innovations, which affects the enthusiasm for replacement in the entire market. However, this does not seem to be true in the high-end market. Take charging and imaging, which greatly affect daily use of mobile phones, as an example. High-end Android phones have come up with high-power fast charging that can fully charge the phone in as fast as 15 minutes. The imaging system has also introduced more complete, shorter, and deeper improvements to the nature of photography. .
The "arms race" also occurs in addition to experience improvements. When Apple's folding screen was still a rumor, Chinese manufacturers launched folding screen flagships with high usability and very reasonable prices. will be launched in the first half of 2022. vivo
Picture source vivo official
. "No regrets" in terms of comprehensive product strength
Looking back at the high-end mobile phones that have sold well in the past year, all of them are in the appearance design, feel and texture, performance and battery life, photography and video that high-end consumers care about. , system experience and other aspects, all have achieved an all-round high level. And compared with previous products, it can give a clear perception. For example, the performance of taking pictures has improved in the previous year, and the iterative products have made great efforts in the shooting experience.
This is exactly in line with the consistent expectations of mass users for high-end mobile phones - even if there is no regrettable bucket-shaped product, it still has sufficiently advanced performance in all aspects. In the past, there were always manufacturers who tried to become "iPhone killers" but failed. It was often not because the best part of the product was not strong enough, but because the shortcomings were too obvious compared to the challenge. Fortunately, this is no longer a problem today.
. Mature sales channels and after-sales systems
services have a great impact on high-end consumers. Only by providing sufficient and high-quality services can people feel comfortable . Now Chinese brands have built quite comprehensive service systems: in stores located in first- and second-tier cities and down to rural towns, consumers can fully experience and understand the products before making decisions. At the same time, after-sales service can also be assured, and problems during use can be solved. Easy solution without any burden.
html Vivo opened stores across the country many years ago and can be said to be a pioneer in providing sales experience and after-sales service. At first, it was ahead of the industry in providing emergency charging, cleaning and usage guidance services for mobile phones in the store. Later, it also introduced a comprehensive in-store film wrapping service. High-end mobile phone users can also receive brand-new protective cases in the store, so that their mobile phones can be obtained at any time. Best protection.
Picture source vivo official
4. Stick to the shining points and improvement momentum
Continuity and improvement are the parts that high-end users attach great importance to when switching phones. A good product will pay attention to the experience people are used to and continue it, and will also respond to users’ complaints and expectations. points to make improvements. High-end products that are hotly debated can be found in the continuation of their shining points. For example, back cover materials, image styles, etc. are all better in new products. If consumers complain about functions, they will quickly iterate to catch up.
The establishment of a leading brand in the high-end market lies in how to continue to capture users in subsequent series changes after a single product has gained influence. The successful cases we have witnessed have all done two things: continuation and improvement. Nowadays, Chinese brands can accelerate the pace of accumulating potential to expand high-end market recognition, which lies in making the things they are good at better and better, and revising all the things they are not good at. .
Take vivo as an example to see how high-end mobile phones grow against the trend
Among the brands trying to expand their influence in the high-end market, vivo is undoubtedly the most successful. Vivo performed very well in Q2 2022. The X80 and X Fold, which have distinctive features in their respective positionings, have become star products in the market. The former has contributed to the price range of US$600~799 (approximately RMB 4100-5470 yuan). )’s year-on-year growth of 504% has attracted the attention of the entire industry.
Through the actual changes in vivo’s brand and product levels, we may be able to discover the secret of high-end smartphones’ growth against the trend in 2022.
vivo X80 dares to file.
The vivo X80, which continues the name of the X series, has a slight increase in price compared to the previous generation, but it has brought consumers performance that surpasses the X series. The textured design and excellent images that have been widely recognized have now become more refined and beautiful in appearance, as well as the experience and effects of the V1+ chip have been upgraded. The processor has been upgraded to the Dimensity 9000 chip, achieving a performance leap.
image source vivo official
file upgrade brings many surprises to vivo X80. User expectations are just iterations that have been strengthened on the original basis, but what X80 has given is an all-round evolution beyond imagination. This allows users who are willing to pursue a high-quality experience to get a higher-end experience without spending too much time and energy. The experience of progress is improved . Consumers recognize the value change brought about by spending more money, which ultimately leads to hot sales.
vivo X Fold dares to stack materials.
Folding screens have been in the market for some time, but it will only be truly recognized by mainstream consumers in 2022. The reason is that it is not easy to make a folding screen. On the one hand, manufacturers have to focus on optimizing the weight and thickness of their products so that folding screens will not deviate from the normal category of smartphones. On the other hand, they have to make trade-offs in terms of land and money. Recent folding screen flagships have such "regrets", and few There are complete specifications.
vivo X Fold has taken the lead in becoming an outlier that is both necessary and desirable among folding screens. First of all, it is relatively thin and light, and the unfolding and closing experience is more acceptable to users. Secondly, while the appearance design and image quality fully inherit vivo's existing style, provides a large number of high-end specifications that conventional flagships should have-ultrasonic fingerprints. So far, this is the only coexistence of , wireless charging, and periscope telephoto.
Coupled with the system level, OriginOS Ocean is deeply adapted to large-screen usage efficiency and visual performance, allowing consumers who choose this phone to buy what can be said to be the top folding screen experience in 2022, and the high-end image will be established accordingly. got up.
Picture source vivo official
vivo dares to stick to the line and carry it forward.
The vacated share of the high-end market in the past two years has given all players ideas. However, it is not easy to divide the cake from Apple. You must have all the cards to stand firmly on the high-end. In the vigorous process of high-endization, some manufacturers failed to grasp product positioning and maintain brand value, and some manufacturers were lax in quality aspects and lacked enthusiasm in service system construction. As a result, the price was expensive but the number of users did not increase.
vivo has commendably persisted in itself. For example, its pursuit of product design and quality, continuous efforts in image performance, and active construction of service systems have already gained a very good reputation. In this process, vivo has continued and expanded the parts that have been well received in the past. At the same time, it has quickly made up for the relative shortcomings in system experience and hardware performance, which naturally gained more people's recognition of .
Conclusion
We always say that opportunities are reserved for those who are prepared. China’s high-end smartphone market data in Q2 2022 is an example. Players who are more prepared will naturally gain more markets. Actively think about what are better products and services, persist in doing the right things, and then translate them into real recognition by users, and become the lucky ones who successfully seize the opportunity during the downturn of the market and .
Of course, there will be more opportunities in the high-end market in the future. Today's leaders will work harder, laggards will regroup, and the competitive landscape will also usher in a new look. What will not change is that consumers are always voting for high-quality products with real money, and market share and brand image are always based on the bits and pieces reflected by the products.
