As 2025 gets underway, the smartphone industry is already looking back at last year’s major winners. According to market research firm Canalys, OPPO emerged as the top smartphone brand in Southeast Asia for 2024, marking a significant shift in the region’s competitive landscape.
OPPO secured 18% of the market share with an impressive 16.9 million smartphone shipments. This is the first time the brand has reached the number-one position in Southeast Asia. The region saw 96.7 million smartphone shipments in 2024, an 11% increase compared to the previous year. This growth signals a strong recovery following two years of decline in 2022 and 2023.
“Southeast Asia’s smartphone market rebounded strongly in 2024, outpacing global growth of 7%,” said Canalys analyst Le Xuan Chiew. “Strategic product offerings and high-end investments drove OPPO’s success. The A18 was the best-selling model of the year, while the rebranded A3x helped boost channel shipments. However, unlike global trends, the average selling price (ASP) of smartphones in Southeast Asia has dropped due to increasing price sensitivity in the region.”
Samsung follows closely behind
Samsung finished second place with a 17% market share, shipping 16.6 million units across Southeast Asia. While the company saw an overall decline in shipments, its ASP defied the trend by rising 14%, from US$285 in Q4 2023 to US$326 in Q4 2024.
“Samsung’s premium models, such as the Galaxy A55 and Galaxy S series, helped counteract the volume decline in mass-market models like the A1x and A2x,” added Chiew. “Samsung’s future success in Southeast Asia will depend on its ability to convert the region’s large base of low-end Android users to higher-priced models.”
Competition remains fierce across the region
The smartphone rankings vary across Southeast Asian countries. OPPO claimed the top spot in Thailand and Vietnam, but Xiaomi led the Malaysian market with a 16% share. The differences in brand preference highlight the ongoing competition among smartphone makers to capture consumers’ attention in each territory.
The battle for dominance in Southeast Asia’s smartphone market is far from settled. Each brand continues to refine its strategy to appeal to users with different priorities, whether it be affordability, innovation, or premium features.
Looking ahead, OPPO is preparing for a global launch event for its next foldable smartphone, the OPPO Find N5. The event will take place in Singapore on February 20, 2025, as the company looks to strengthen its position in the premium segment.
