Apple’s iPhone strengthens its position in Indonesia’s mid-range smartphone market

Indonesia’s smartphone market finally rebounded in 3Q23 after declining for eight quarters straight, as it grew 8.8% year-over-year (YoY) with a minimal quarter-over-quarter (QoQ) decline of 0.9%, to 8.9 million units according to International Data Corporation’s (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. 

Despite the lack of momentous opportunity, vendors were competing aggressively in almost all price segments, facilitated by retail expansions and price cuts, adds the research group.

Growth was seen across all price segments, but was primarily led by higher-priced smartphones above US$600, which more than doubled in size compared to last year, driven by Samsung’s new foldable releases and Apple’s iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 shipments. 

The mid-range segment of US$200<US$600 also grew by 16.8% YoY, driven by Samsung, Apple, and OPPO as the vendors strengthened their portfolios in this segment. The lower-end segment of <US$200 grew 2.7% YoY after a few quarters of decline, with heavy competition between Transsion, vivo, Xiaomi, and realme. 

Vendors focusing on the more lucrative higher priced segments propelled the Average Selling Price (ASP) to its eighth consecutive quarter of growth, registering a 9% YoY increase in 3Q23, to US$205, according to Counterpoint.