Google Pixels grew by 527% in Japan in just one year

That google pixel They’re one of the best phones on the market, that’s nothing new. Over the years, smartphones developed at Mountain View have excelled in many areas like cameras, design, general performance, increased integration with artificial intelligence and of course, the purest experience with Android. All this, in exchange for very competitive prices compared to other flagships in the sector. However, their Limited international availability This is the reason for the criticism of Google and its strategy regarding these devices.

Despite the latter, there is a market in which mobile phones have managed to excel, to the extent of stealing market share from Samsung. we are talking about something JapanWhere to experience the Google Pixel only in 2023 An increase of 527%. This has allowed the Californian to hold third place in the general table of manufacturers, but second only to Apple among manufacturers dedicated specifically to smartphones. A real madness.

What’s most curious, however, is that Google has achieved tremendous success with the Pixel in Japan in a year when the mobile market in that country shrank. According to a recent report from IDC, phone shipments to the Japanese region are expected to decline 11.6% year-on-year in fiscal year 2023. If we focus only on Android models, the decline was 16.3%.

In a negative context, Google and Pixel have managed to significantly increase their market share in Japan over the past year. And I repeat the data so that it does not remain in the air: they increased by 527%. like this, they went from being one market share From 1.5% in 2022 to 10.7% in 2023,

Google Pixels grew by 527% in Japan in 2023 alone

The IDC report doesn’t specify which Google Pixel models drove this impressive growth in the Japanese market. In any case, one of the graphs indicates that the peak demand for these phones was recorded in the second quarter of 2023. Given that the American company’s most recent models – the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro – were only launched in October, it’s logical to think that most of the expansion has happened with its predecessors, the Pixel 7, 7 Pro and 7a.

The explosion in popularity of Google Pixel in Japan during 2023 will not be explained by the devices’ features alone. Another factor that may have influenced the huge jump in its market share was Alliance between Mountain View and NTT DoCoMo, the country’s leading mobile telephone operator. Added to this was the announcement that Kyocera would withdraw from the consumer segment. Also marked by Lenovo’s purchase of FCNT, the company behind local brands like Raku-Raku and Arrow.

Google has taken the market away from Samsung, while Apple remains unattainable

Whatever the case, Google Pixel has won a very important victory in an always attractive market like Japan: beat samsung, The South Korean corporation’s mobile phone sales declined 39% year-on-year. Thus, Galaxy’s market share from 9.1% in 2022 will drop to only 6.3% in 2023.

Another important point to consider is that, despite the rise of the Pixel, Apple remains unavailable in Japan. Although its shipments in that country declined 6.1% year-on-year, the iPhone remains by far the most popular smartphone with a 51.9% market share.

IDC report also reveals what is the difference between iPhone and Google Pixel Spicy with other market share Highest in Japanese market. The Japanese firm captured a 10.9% stake, although it’s worth clarifying that it is not exclusively dedicated to making smartphones. It also has a significant presence in the field of cheap and low-tech phones for older people.