Nokia the 3rd smartphone brand in the UK (Q4 2017)

Counterpoint Research analyst Neil Shah shared via Twitter interesting local stats about HMD’s smartphone (and feature phone) performance during Q4 2017. We already know that HMD shipped 4.4 million smartphones and 20.7 million feature phones in Q4 2017; and we know that for the full year 2017 HMD shipped 67.9 million devices – 8.7 million smartphones and 59.2 million feature phones.

 

Some major growth markets for @HMDGlobal in Q4 2017:

overall phones:
#1 in Vietnam and most Middle East markets

Smartphones:
#3 in UK for first time
Top 5 in Russia, Vietnam & Most Middle East markets

Feature Phones:
#1 Globally and Most European, Asian & Middle East markets

— Neil Shah (@neiltwitz) February 12, 2018

Locally, HMD, first time since 2010 according to Statista, brought the Nokia brand into the top 3 group on the UK smartphone market. Alongside achieving the 3rd spot in smartphones in the UK, HMD Global also sold the most feature phones in most European countries, and in Asia and Middle East. Globally, HMD was the biggest feature phone vendor in Q4 2017.

 

This should be one of the most successful comeback story for a brand after falling off the cliff. Still some strong muscle memory out there. However, kudos to @HMDGlobal to leverage this and scale the brand, product, operations really well in just 12 months.

— Neil Shah (@neiltwitz) February 12, 2018

 

We believe, 2018 most focus for @hmdglobal should be building smartphone demand in Asia, Europe & MEA as FP demand is robust driving positive cash flow,

2018 H2 & 1H2019 would need a focused strategy for operator-centric markets in LATAM to challenge Moto & Samsung.

— Neil Shah (@neiltwitz) February 12, 2018

In Vietnam, HMD was the biggest manufacturer of smartphones and feature phones when combined during Q4 2017, while in Rusia, Vietnam, and the Middle Eastern countries, HMD managed to get into the top 5 group of smartphone manufacturers, according to Counterpoint Research’s Neil Shah.

 

Talking about smartphones performance, in Q4 2017, @HMDGlobal sold more Nokia branded phones globally and is now bigger smartphone brand than following individual brands:

HTC
Sony
Google
Alcatel
Lenovo
OnePlus
Gionee
Meizu
Coolpad
Asus

— Neil Shah (@neiltwitz) February 12, 2018

Globally, HMD ranked 11th in smartphone sales in Q4 2017, shipping more devices than recognizable players like HTC, Sony, Google, Alcatel, Lenovo, OnePlus, Gionee, Meizu, Coolpad or Asus. CP believes HMD’s focus in 2018 should be building smartphone demand in Europe and Asia. For the second half of 2018 and the first half of 2019, HMD needs a strategy to address operator-centric markets in Latin America where Samsung and Moto play an important role, says Mr. Shah.