Apple tops Japan's smartphone shipment charts again in 2022

The fourth quarter of 2022 was tough for Apple thanks to iPhone 14 Pro production issues, which also pulled down an otherwise positive year. However, new data shows Apple held onto its dominant position in Japan despite the roadblocks.

A report from IDC Japan breaks down the fourth quarter and the entire 2022 calendar year for smartphone shipments in Japan. The data shows Apple's iPhone continues to be a bestseller in the market, ahead of competitors like Samsung, Sony, and others.

The total number of smartphones sold in Japan across 2022 was down 8.1% year-over-year at 34.3 million units. Of those sold, Apple led with 16.6 million units or 48.4% share, which is down 3.8% from the record-breaking 2021 shipments.

For the fourth quarter, 8.5 million smartphones were shipped in Japan for a 16% decline. Apple sold 51.2% of devices, or 4.4 million total, and Android trailed at 4.1 million units.

The smartphone market and total shipments of both operating systems decreased at similar rates — around 16%.

The report attributes Apple's continued success to carriers using the smartphone in promotional campaigns. The decline in iPhone sales for the quarter was attributed to the weaker yen, global inflation, and iPhone sales at retailers ending.

A note from Masafumi Ibe, Market Analyst at IDC, mentions smartphone supply chain struggles in China as another contributing factor. That and as 5G becomes another commodity, companies need to find new technologies to drive sales.