Smartphone shipments decline 9.7% to 13.57 million units

[Source: IDC Korea]

South Korean smartphone shipments fell 9.7 percent from a year ago to 13.57 million units in 2023, according to a new report.

“While overall shipments in the Korean market are showing a declining trend, there are improvements in manufacturer profitability thanks to the high demand for premium products,” according to the report released by IDC Korea on Tuesday.

Although smartphone shipments in Korea have been on a downward trajectory for three consecutive years after hitting 15.02 million units in 2020, the rate of decline has somewhat slowed down. Shipments dropped by 11.1 percent in 2022 compared to the previous year, while the decline was 9.7 percent in 2023.

The Korean smartphone market has been dominated by premium products, with 5G smartphones accounting for 88.6 percent of the market share. The market share of high-end products priced at $800 or above also hit 64.4 percent, up 14.1 percentage points compared to the previous year. The report attributes this growth to the intense competition among manufacturers as they focus on their flagship smartphone products.

By Kim Dae-gi and Minu Kim

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