Analysts: About 70% of smartphones sold in the United States are made in China

        On the morning of August 13, industry analysis agency Canalys recently released an analysis report on the US mobile phone market in the second quarter of 2020. The data showed that about 70% of smartphones sold in the United States in the second quarter of 2020 were made in China, up from 60% in the previous quarter.

　　In the second quarter of 2020, 31.9 million smartphones were sold in the United States, a year-on-year decrease of 5%, but a month-on-month increase of 11%. The epidemic in China was brought under control at the end of March, and mobile phone manufacturing factories resumed operations and restarted in May and June, which was a key factor in the continuous growth of the market.

　　Apple and Samsung remain the most popular brands in the US market, accounting for 7 out of every 10 products sold. Apple set a new domestic record in the second quarter, shipping 15 million units. Shipments of the flagship iPhone 11 increased by 15% compared to last year's best-selling iPhone XR. With the launch of the iPhone SE, Apple's quarterly market share surged to 47%.

　　Samsung's shipments were flat with last year, but it shipped 59% fewer Galaxy S20 5G phones compared to the S10 series models in the second quarter of 2019. Samsung was disappointed by the closure of a large number of sales channels after the first quarter. They ultimately found themselves relying mainly on devices such as their low-end Galaxy A10e and A20 to support shipments.

　　In addition, the average selling price of smartphones in the United States reached US$503, 10% lower than in the second quarter of 2019. This is also related to the poor economic conditions.

　　Canalys analyst Vincent Thielke said: "Due to the coronavirus, which has forced consumers to stay at home, 5G penetration in the United States has not increased. Store closures and concerns about the epidemic have limited consumption of high-end products, and consumer budgets have been further tightened, limiting spending power. And due to the lack of 5G network coverage in suburban areas of the United States, consumers still have many reasons to buy 4G phones. However, although 5G deployment has been lackluster so far, operator marketing in the coming quarters will help catalyze the transition from 4G to 5G."

　　As thousands of people lose their jobs, mobile phone distributors are increasing orders for ultra-low-end Android phones from obscure brands such as Unimax and Wiko. Rising unemployment makes it harder for consumers to choose, limiting their ability to buy new phones or pay higher phone bills (new phones are often bundled with phone plans due to the strong U.S. carrier channels). As economic challenges are likely to persist, the sub-$400 segment is expected to gain greater attention, especially as Google and other Android manufacturers increase their investments in the low-end and mid-range segments.

　　About 70% of smartphones sold in the United States in the second quarter of 2020 were made in China, up from 60% in the previous quarter.

　　In recent years, the delicate relationship between China and the United States has brought uncertainty to all smartphone manufacturers except Samsung and LG (Samsung and LG are no longer important in the Chinese mobile phone market). Global onlookers are eagerly awaiting the US election in November. This may lead the US-China trade war into a new stage of easing.