Counterpoint Research has released a report on the market share of smartphones in Japan for the quarter of June 2023. One interesting point to note is that Apple’s iPhone has seen a decrease in market share, dropping to 46%, which is below 50% for the first time in two years.
On the other hand, Google’s Pixel has shown significant growth in the past quarter, increasing to 12% compared to June 2022. It’s worth mentioning that Pixel only had a 2% market share in Japan, making this a substantial growth in market share.
Analysts attribute the decrease in iPhone’s market share to the price adjustment that Apple made, caused by the weakened yen. However, this weakening yen has also indirectly impacted Pixel’s sales. Since Google doesn’t target the global smartphone market as extensively as Apple, travelers from countries where Pixel isn’t available have been more motivated to purchase this smartphone due to its lower price in comparison to their own currency. In Japan, the best-selling Pixel models are the Pixel 6a and Pixel 7a, which are reasonably priced when compared to the iPhone.
It’s important to note that these figures are for the quarter of June, and there might be significant changes in the upcoming September quarter, with the launch of the iPhone 15. This might result in Apple’s market share returning to its previous levels, while Pixel is expected to introduce new models in October, which might not be reflected in the current quarter’s data.
Source: Bloomberg
As a bonus, here’s an advertisement for the Japanese market featuring the Pixel 7, filmed in Thailand.
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