CHART: Top smartphone brands in the Middle East & Africa region (Q1 2024)

• MEA smartphone market settles into steady growth (6% YoY) after a period of explosive expansion.
• Samsung regains top spot with focus on lower-mid-range phones.
• Apple falls out of top five due to iPhone 15 performance and economic downturn in Israel.

The Middle East and Africa (MEA) smartphone market has settled into a more typical growth pattern after four quarters of explosive expansion, increasing only 6% year-over-year in Q1 2024, according to Counterpoint. This shift aligns with seasonal trends, with the market contracting 16% quarter-on-quarter.

This comes as the macroeconomic situation in the region continues to improve with inflation rates moderating. Short-term challenges including the ongoing Middle East conflict, currency fluctuations in parts of Africa, and upcoming elections are not expected to derail the smartphone market’s long-term growth prospects in the region.

Looking at specific brand performance, Samsung reclaimed the top spot after losing it to TECNO in the previous quarter for the first time. It, however, marked a 10% year-on-year slowdown but is beginning to make a comeback in the region by prioritizing lower-mid-range smartphones.