In the rapidly changing smartphone industry, Transsion, a Shenzhen-based company, has become a major player, particularly in Africa.
The continent is now the second-largest mobile phone market globally and the fastest-growing, with 8 in 10 Africans owning a mobile phone.
In 2023, Transsion reported the highest growth in global smartphone shipments among the world’s top five manufacturers.
The company shipped 95 million units, marking a significant 30.8% increase from the previous year.
This growth surpassed industry leaders like Apple, which saw a 3.7% increase, while other key players like Samsung, Xiaomi, and OPPO experienced declines in shipments.
Transsion’s outstanding performance, especially in the final quarter of 2023, led to an increase in its global market share from 6% to 8.1%.
This achievement is notable compared to Apple’s rise to the top spot, overtaking Samsung with a 20.1% market share.
The company’s success is attributed to strategic focus on Africa and expansion into emerging markets in South and Southeast Asia.
Despite economic challenges such as inflation and higher interest rates impacting handset shipments, Transsion made significant progress.
The company faced production volume drops, reflecting inventory challenges in 2022’s latter half. Nevertheless, aggressive destocking efforts significantly reduced their inventory levels.
Transsion’s effective geographic diversification strategy resulted in increased revenues outside Africa, despite a decline in African revenues.
The company’s strong performance in the feature phone sector and its in-house brands: Tecno, Itel, and Infinix, drive its growth.
Transsion’s success underscores the power of understanding and catering to emerging markets’ needs in the competitive smartphone industry.
It highlights the dynamic nature of the global smartphone market, where new players can quickly rise and challenge established industry giants.