Reshaping device trends in the Philippines
and lucrative sales incentives enabled these brands to strengthen their mindshare in the local market,” he noted.
Since the introduction of the smartphone to the Philippine market a decade ago, it was only in 2017 when shipments recorded a decline due to intense competition among the top brands, resulting in the ouster of some vendors from the market.
But Mr. Ooi expects a rebound this year, with smartphone vendors shipping in more phablets and equipping their new models with enticing features such as thin bezels and on-device artificial intelligence.
Meanwhile, greater mobility combined with the large Filipino millennial population are propelling traditional PC adoption to higher levels. “Despite smartphones having drawn away a portion of consumer demand in recent years, desktop and notebook PCs remain viable, especially for heavy workloads and higher- level entertainment,” said Sean Paul Agapito, associate market analyst of IDC Philippines.
Laptops have already overtaken desktops as the PC of choice among consumers, relegating the latter to commercial and gaming uses. Mr. Agapito believes that “as the Philippine economy matures and more Filipinos realize the potential of the Internet beyond social interaction, demand for PCs in the country is expected to grow even further.”
Hype and popularity of PC gaming and e-sports as well as the growing momentum of telecommuting and the shift toward digital education will drive the growth of the Philippine PC market in the coming years.
SHOPEE’S BRAND AMBASSADOR
Movie and television celebrity Anne Curtis has been appointed by Shopee as the e-commerce platform’s first brand ambassador for the Philippines.
Terrence Pang, chief operating officer of Singapore- headquartered Shopee, made the announcement at the Grand Hyatt Manila in Taguig City during the launch last week of its “5.5 Super Sale” which is ongoing up to May 5.
According to Mr. Pang, the FilipinoAustralian actress’ personality “best represents Shopee’s brand positioning as the leading online shopping platform, especially among millennials.”
Ms. Curtis is starring in Shopee Philippines’ first-ever TV commercial. She also introduced her own make-up product line via the BLK Cosmetics Official Shop on Shopee Mall, which features cash on delivery and free shipping nationwide for leading consumer brands.
Shopee was first launched in Singapore three years ago, and has since expanded to the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Its parent firm is New York Stock Exchange- listed Sea Ltd., a leader in digital entertainment, e-commerce, and digital financial services across Greater Southeast Asia.