Brand handset vendors including Sony Mobile Communications, Vivo and Realme have launched new smartphones in Taiwan, hoping to jack up their sales with niche-market models, according to sources at retail channels.
Most vendors continue to release new models even though smartphone sales in the local market remain sluggish, said the sources.
According to data compiled by the channels, smartphone shipments into the Taiwan market hit an 11-month low of 350,000 units in May 2022, compared to 370,000 units shipped in the previous month.
Undeterred by the slow sales, Sony Mobile launched its latest flagship models, the Xperia 1 IV and Xperia 10 IV, in the local market. Featuring Sony’s integrated audio, camera and display technologies, the two models are likely to be well received in the market, said the sources.
Realme is tapping the high-end segment by releasing its GT Neo3 and GT Neo3T gaming smartphones. The Chinese vendor launched its GT2 Pro in April and has since seen its market share in the NT10,000-20,000 (US$340-680) segment improve significantly.
Vivo has been actively promoting its new flagship model, the Vivo X80, targeting the high-end segment. The X80 features a MediaTek Dimensity 9000 SoC, paired with a V1 ISP image processor developed in-house at Vivo.
Results of the first wave of promotion for the X80 have been higher than expected, said the sources. Average daily volume sales of the X80 nearly double the figures of its predecessor, the X70, according to sources at Vivo Taiwan.