A total of 28.7 million mobile phones were imported to Vietnam lastyear, 13 percent more than in 2013, according to the International DataCorporation's Asia/Pacific Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.
Smartphonesenjoyed the highest growth as shipments reached 11.6 million units, ayear-on-year growth of 57 percent, and are expected to eclipse featurephones this year.
"With smartphone prices rapidly declining,penetration rates have been increasing across the country," Vu Le TamThanh, senior market analyst, mobile devices, IDC Vietnam, said.
"Thelow-cost segment has been the main driver, with six out of ten smartphones shipped to the country being budget models priced below 150 USD."
Samsungremained king of the Vietnam smart phone market though its share hasfallen considerably over the past few years — from 54 percent in 2012 to26 percent in 2014.
Nokia/Microsoft on the other hand continued to grow strongly, climbing to 24 percent in 2014 from 16 percent in 2013.
"Microsoftcontinues to defy global trends with Vietnam, where the company hasreally established a stronghold within the region," Daniel Pang, seniorresearch manager for client devices at IDC ASEAN, said.
"However,most of their shipments are targeted towards budget consumers, as thelucrative premium segment is still dominated by Apple and Samsung."
IDC also recorded an increase in smart phone shipment in the 5-5.5" screen size segment in the last quarter of 2014.
"Whilethe Vietnamese have been more resistant to the phablet craze comparedto other markets, we continue to see growing interest in larger screensizes," Thanh said.
"This trend is helped by both decliningprices and higher interest in internet browsing and mobile gaming onlarger screen phones."-VNA
Smartphonesenjoyed the highest growth as shipments reached 11.6 million units, ayear-on-year growth of 57 percent, and are expected to eclipse featurephones this year.
"With smartphone prices rapidly declining,penetration rates have been increasing across the country," Vu Le TamThanh, senior market analyst, mobile devices, IDC Vietnam, said.
"Thelow-cost segment has been the main driver, with six out of ten smartphones shipped to the country being budget models priced below 150 USD."
Samsungremained king of the Vietnam smart phone market though its share hasfallen considerably over the past few years — from 54 percent in 2012 to26 percent in 2014.
Nokia/Microsoft on the other hand continued to grow strongly, climbing to 24 percent in 2014 from 16 percent in 2013.
"Microsoftcontinues to defy global trends with Vietnam, where the company hasreally established a stronghold within the region," Daniel Pang, seniorresearch manager for client devices at IDC ASEAN, said.
"However,most of their shipments are targeted towards budget consumers, as thelucrative premium segment is still dominated by Apple and Samsung."
IDC also recorded an increase in smart phone shipment in the 5-5.5" screen size segment in the last quarter of 2014.
"Whilethe Vietnamese have been more resistant to the phablet craze comparedto other markets, we continue to see growing interest in larger screensizes," Thanh said.
"This trend is helped by both decliningprices and higher interest in internet browsing and mobile gaming onlarger screen phones."-VNA
