Sales of feature phones remain steady in Vietnam : VnEconomy

Feature phones still account for nearly four out of every ten mobile phones sold in Vietnam.

While there have been predictions that feature phones will lose popularity with the advent of cheap smartphones, sales remain steady at 620,000-700,000 a month.

In terms of market share, feature phones even posted a slight increase recently, from 34 per cent in July to 36 percent in August.

Nokia remains the leading brand in the segment, with a market share of 55-57 percent in recent months. The Finnish brand accounted for over half of the 20 top selling feature phones sold in September.

The second most popular feature phone was local brand Masstel, with a market share of 14-15 per cent. Other brands sold include Itel, Mobell, Fmobile, and Coolpad, each with a market share of less than 10 percent.

But revenues from feature phone sales remain low, as 70 percent of phones on the market cost less than $21.5. 

The best-selling device in the segment is the Nokia 105, with a price tag of $15. Itel, the third largest brand, has models costing less than $8.6, such as the Value 100 and IT2161.

Feature phones are forecast to continue to perform well for at least the next few years.

Since customers often prioritize low prices over brand, phones from China and nameless brands will continue to sell well if they meet buyers’ needs, according to GfK.

The main buyers of feature phones are usually ordinary workers, students, older people, and businesses buying phones for internal communication needs.

A significant proportion are first-time users who want a device that can make and receive phone calls so they can keep in touch, and especially like phones that are easy to use.

Source: VnEconomy