The main producers of smartphones problems
No surprises at the end of last year did not happen: the Korean manufacturer took the market by number, but Apple, as usual, located behind consistently successful with your iPhone. Both the leading manufacturer of lost market share, following Huawei, Lenovo/Motorola and Xiaomi (already get used to this brand) on the contrary, grew during the year. Smartphones continue to buy more often from year to year (by 10.1% more than in 2014), and the coolest of all Huawei develops (+44% growth per year).
Best smartphone manufacturers in 2014, 2015 and first quarter 2016.
In General, the main thing that catches the eye when looking at the mobile market — the credibility of the major brands will gradually decrease. Smartphones to buy is not stopped, just a nameless “Chinese” has grown to the point that bend under him the entire budget and most of the middle class mobiles. And some leaders will not get far, because the processor is already hot, the display resolution is nearing 4K and cease to play an important role, and the sensors… well, who needs them, all these sensors?
In this situation most nervous Samsung — first in December, the company began to lay off employees and changed the head of mobile phone division, in early 2016, the Koreans published a report, from which it became known that sales of mobile units for the 12 months decreased by 5%.
Samsung had a lot of internal problems, but the Korean giant still holds the lead in smartphone sales
Apple has had problems of another kind — the “Apple” computers, and cell phones began to buy less because of the strong dollar. For American businessmen a situation where, say, $100 has evolved from “cheap” to “expensive” does not Bode well. The past quarter was the most profitable for Apple, but the revenue of new terms grows very slowly and falls with a speed which we last saw in 2001. In General, currency fluctuations “backfired” on us firms.
The Chinese can play with other things: dumping and desire to procreate brands. In addition to Honor for the authorship of Huawei none of the subsidiaries of Chinese companies was not really successful: Nubia (ZTE) diverges 3 times slower than originally planned, OnePlus is about to return “safe Harbor” for Oppo, and ZUK (Lenovo) do not only impose competition Xiaomi, but it was too late to enter the market — with the only model beginners will hardly become really popular.
By the way, Xiaomi — “crisis cityfone” in 2015, have become much less popular. Do not think that the sale of a huge number of mobile phones with a minimum mark became unprofitable occupation. Just since 2012, the famous smartphone brand has gained sales at first 120, then 160, and then all 227%, then in 2015 the euphoria subsided and the world has sold only 15% more “rice” smartphone in comparison with 2014. Rumor has it that Xiaomi is going for the occasion to condescend to offline stores (before online sales fully recouped) and shake up the lineup. Although, on the other hand, in China the company takes the first place in sales, behind Apple and leaves, not to mention the rest of the competitors.
The development of the company Xiaomi now looks like this
The other brands, things are different: ASUS pours the money among its many assets, and reports on the decline of 3,14% (symbolically, though). About the same goes ZTE, which comes from the precepts of Confucius sits on the 10th place in world sales, watching the sinking of the mobile division of Sony, and Coolpad stronger once the crack is eliminated from the ranking.
But Meizu does not wait for health problems caused by “obesity” and downsizes, even in spite of sales growth. Look, whether will fall by the way pessimistic expectations favorite partners Samsung and Alibaba holding.
But, Microsoft is so sad that it’s funny that vindobona live at the expense of budget models, it was no longer a secret to anyone. The problem is that most of these models were bought commercials in 2013-2014. And positive news on the horizon are not visible: from the latest report that in the last quarter of 2015, Microsoft has sold 57% less smartphones than in 2014. at this rate the Lumia smartphones “will lie in the grave” before losing HTC or little known Chinese brands. It’s a shame, actually — phones quite good, and “third force” in the fight with iPhone and androidofony should be. But even Vice President of Microsoft, which touts mobile Windows videos, in his spare time walking around with the smartphone Apple. No comment.
The Russians sat back and again began to buy iPhone
After short falling of sales “ablational” the Russians thought for a moment and returned to the source iPhone of various generations again became incredibly popular mobile phones on the Russian market. And the “Messenger” reports that are buying any model — not that 5s and even 4s mossy is a wild demand. On iPhones retailers raised a third of the proceeds from sales of all smartphones in 2015.
Sales in quantitative expression of consent of the experts there: foreign analysts from TrendForce claimed that the first place in sales holds the Samsung, and the “silver” went to Fly with its budget smartphones. And only 3-4 place in unit sales is located Apple and Lenovo.
However, retailers argue that top looks like this:
- Samsung with 21% of all smartphones sold
- Lenovo with 11% share
- Apple with a share of 10%
By the way, in 2015 smartphones still have to buy less, by approximately 8%. But each of them has become noticeably more expensive, so bread with butter and caviar money left and retail chains, and manufacturers. Not all, however, manufacturers is a subsidiary brand of “Liaison”, Explay, has died and ceased to produce smartphones. Small loss, although in comparison with other “Russified Chinese,” he was not the most blatant in terms of pricing.
New month
Samsung
Galaxy J1 2016
Budjet according to Samsung is the most affordable smartphone 2016 model year. Currently sold only in the United Arab Emirates (the guys oil down, the Koreans have brought in cheap petrodow), has ridiculous specifications and a price tag of about 10 thousand rubles. Not that this model is worth special attention, but in the category of “don’t let God be starved of the” new J1 will fit the standard.
Samsung J1 2016
Advantages of models:
- price (advantage measures). If the ruble was “still the one” — a smartphone we’d bought for 4 thousand rubles
- more or less sane Exynos processor 3457 — low frequency substitute Snapdragon 410
- 4G and the Super AMOLED display
- the argument “but it’s Samsung!”
The availability and sale date:
available in UAE from January 2016
Competitors:
LG K4, Wileyfox Swift, the Xiaomi Redmi 2
Price:
$135 (~10,500 rubles)
Detailed information:
Samsung released Galaxy J1 2016
For the most part this model — horror, flying on the gland, which was too shy to install in normal smartphones: camera 8 years ago, funny to media proprietary shell TouchWiz RAM, already outdated at the time of the release of the Android version… In Russia the model will not save even the blue oval on the body, so it can even not wait — we go further.
LG
K10, K7, K4
The regiment is inexpensive and thoroughbred mobiles arrived — in place of last year’s Leon, Spirit and Magna LG has rolled out a new K-series. Now the youngest models no longer resemble the curved flagship (predecessors tried to be like the G3 and G4 at the same time) and got a design in the style of sea pebbles. Russians welcome anti-crisis concessions in price, unfortunately, did not happen, but their “chips” in new products are available.
LG K-series
Advantages of models:
- the selfie-oriented. Good front camera and a flash simulation of a display
- 64-bit Mediatek chip with four cores and 8 (shameful stuff MT6582 finally buried)
- brand for LG practicality: a removable battery, two slots for SIM and Micro SD
- Android 6.0 out of the box (K10), a proprietary shell LG UX
- branded pouches with a slot for the screen with notifications
The availability and sale date:
available in Russia from January 2016
Competitors:
Samsung Galaxy J1, J3, J5
Price:
LG K10/K10 LTE — 15/17 thousand rubles
K7/K4 is not declared
Detailed information:
LG has officially unveiled the smartphone K10, K7 and K4 in Russia
On first impression we can not say that the new LG will ask “bashing” competitors: with Samsung processors and screens of its own production uzhalsya in prices (and in 2015 already making cheaper smartphones specially for Russia), and promotes Huawei Honor their past cellular, at prices comparable to these of your Aliexpress.
However, last year we with the same prejudice took in a comparative test LG Magna, and it actually has a more interesting model than ASUS ZenFone 5 and Lenovo S60. Let’s wait and see: get the phones to test — evaluate them after the fact.
Huawei
Honor 5X
The company’s representatives really do not like when the “independent” line of Huawei Honor they call on the father, but everyone understands that without mentioning the desired brand even the most interesting models of sub-brand for the majority of customers would turn into the “China of some sort, like quality”.
But there is another truth — Honor the name now on everyone’s lips, and for the Russian buyers “daughter” Huawei has almost become synonymous with maximally Packed “crisis” of the gadgets. Oddly enough, the latest models of the Chinese have not lost your touch, so fresh Honor 5X destined bestseller.
Huawei Honor 5X
The advantages of the model:
- bright clear display — Full HD 5.5 inches will be sufficient for almost all
- not the most powerful, but thoroughbred cosmedent Snapdragon 615
- normal (finally!) endurance
- metal body, fast the fingerprint scanner
The availability and sale date:
available in Russia from January 2016
Competitors:
Xiaomi Redmi Note 3, ASUS ZenFone 2 ZE551ML
Price:
17 thousand rubles
Detailed information:
An inexpensive smartphone for the extremists. Review Huawei Honor 5X
If 5X Honor did not exist, it should have been invented — at least to redirect the producers of whiners who have an excuse, “you’re the ruble has fallen” is considered sufficient in order to roll out middling for the price of flagships.
As in the case of Honor 7 (which we were not happy and caused a seething fans in the comments), Huawei stuff saved and on the thoroughness in the Assembly, and power (even ASUS with the Russian residence permit will set the heat of the Chinese new). But 5X Honor in any of the disciplines does not look like a “C student”, and at its 225-dollar price this is a considerable achievement.
Lenovo
Lemon 3
As of January 2016 — the most featured budget model. For the equivalent of 8500 Russian rubles, Chinese are free to buy cell phone with characteristics of the flagship 2014 release. It is a pity that this model will not be sold outside of China (laovaev have to pay more), but we know how to get rare goods from China, right?
Lenovo Lemon 3
The advantages of the model:
- 5-inch Full HD display is remarkably steep for the budget
- metal case
- OCTA core processor (Snapdragon 616) and 2 GB of RAM
- 2750 mAh in the battery
The availability and sale date:
available to order in China from February 2016
Competitors:
Xiaomi Redmi 3, Wileyfox Swift
Price:
700 yuan (~ 8500 rubles)
Detailed information:
Lenovo releases Lemon smartphone hundred dollar 3
We can only kindly be jealous of Chinese buyers, for whom the “domestic producers” successfully fighting among themselves and produce more fancy models on eligible U.S. dollar spent. Keep in mind this model Lenovo, if you are thinking about choosing the best budget smartphone of 2016.
VIBE K4 Note
Try to follow the logic of the engineers (though, probably, marketers) Lenovo — a thankless task. There was K3 Note phablet with great value characteristics. In our market, however, was not sold, and instead went in huge numbers in China and India. Even with the hassle of reflashing and shipping fond of Russian enthusiasts: powerful, with a large clear screen — what not to take?
And then came the new generation fableta — improved and enlarged, as they say. And Lenovo gave K4 Note what he lacked — a virtual reality helmet… Well, just now. But even without this useful accessory, a smartphone is more expensive
Lenovo K4 Note
The advantages of the model:
- 5.5 inches screen, Full HD — then start the extreme
- emergency update processor MT6752 to MT6753 — the same 8 kernels, only in profile
- 3 GB of RAM — a modern and well
- solid expensive design instead of youth “lemon”
- audio system Dolby Atmos
The availability and sale date:
available in Indian market from January 2016
Competitors:
Alcatel Idol 3 (5.5), Meizu MX4 Pro, Xiaomi Redmi Note 2
Price:
without a helmet VR — $177 (~13.5 thousand rubles)
with the helmet VR — $185 (~14 thousand rubles)
Detailed information:
Smartphone Lenovo K4 Note goes on sale
Modernization for modernization: nothing that could tempt buyers K3, and virtual reality on the dead accelerator budget MediaTek no one to impress — except that Indian cinema in 3D twist.
K5 Note
Lenovo seemed to have realized how weak was the update once formidable phablets, and less than a month (!) rolled out model K5 Note. And you know what? The fifth generation concerning the fourth is already a “completely different story”.
Lenovo K5 Note
The advantages of the model:
- new OCTA-core chip Helio P10 (MT6755) — pumped middling
- metal body and a fingerprint scanner
- 8 MP for selfies and 13 MP main camera
- quite decent for a phablet 3500 mAh battery capacity
The availability and sale date:
available in China from January 2016
Competitors:
Xiaomi Redmi Note 3, 5X Huawei Honor, Meizu M1 Metal
Price:
from $370 (~ 27 000) in the Chinese market
Detailed information:
Metal Lenovo K5 Note officially presented
Now thats a new model! For Russians, a metal and a cheap Lenovo would be a novelty, although in the Chinese market has long been in Vogue “aluminium shovel” — that such competitors should reinstall the PC with the K5 index. In General, it makes sense to guard the smartphone in the Windows of Chinese shops.
Xiaomi
Redmi 3
Remember this name — before you one of the best budget smartphones of 2016 (if not the best). While innovation in the flagships come from the giants (Apple, Samsung and their ilk), available smartphones set the tone long ago by the Chinese. And this time, in the required 105 bucks famous Chinese brand has contained a very cool toppings.
Xiaomi Redmi 3
The advantages of the model:
- OCTA-core Snapdragon 616 is in Russia smartphones with them in 2-2,5 times more expensive
- metal body with multiple options of colors
- the battery, like a smartphone-centenarians (4100 mAh) at a modest 8.5 mm body thickness
The availability and sale date:
available in Chinese market from January 2016
Competitors:
Lenovo Lemon 3, Wileyfox Swift
Price:
$105 (~ 8 thousand)
Detailed information:
Xiaomi Redmi hundred-dollar metal 3 officially presented
Xiaomi, if someone does not know — not a basement office, where the blank family in the province collects cell phones, and the world’s fourth largest manufacturer of smartphones, experience which does not hold. In Russia, Xiaomi still sold through intermediaries, but in China, the smartphones of this brand are sold at a speed comparable to the iPhones.
In Redmi 3 immediately we can only note a couple of shortcomings: first, a HD display (for a complete happiness I want 1920×1080 as mentioned above Lenovo Lemon 3). Secondly, obsessive pattern with rhombs on the back cover many people already crammed nauseam in fashion design.
Redmi Note 3 Pro
Not confused in the names? Then delve: a 5.5-inch phablet with a clear display, high power (almost 2 times faster than the same Honor 5X), long battery life and a metal case for 13 thousand roubles!
Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Pro
The advantages of the model:
- the latest Snapdragon shestiyaderny 650 — economical and fast, almost like the processor in the LG G4 and Nexus 5X
- improved (and, say, not fiscal) rear camera
- cool the battery capacity of 4050 mAh
- Full HD 5.5 inches display
The availability and sale date:
available in China from January 2016
Competitors:
Samsung Galaxy A7 2015, 5X Huawei Honor, Meizu M1 Metal
Price:
from $152 (~ 12 thousand rubles)
Detailed information:
Metal Xiaomi Redmi Note Pro 3 received a battery of 4050 mAh
The Chinese are just obscenely copy the habits of each other! Like Lenovo, who played the circus from the announcement K4 and K5 Note Note, Xiaomi also released its upgraded version was released the phone a month after its registration with the conveyor. However, in the case of the Redmi Note there is an option that in mass production will remain new variant of the smartphone, or the previous variation dramatically cheaper. And this is for us buyers anyway well.