Smartphone shipment has dropped to a record low in 2018 mainly due to a slowdown in China economy.

Smartphone shipment reached 1429.7 million in 2018 as compared with 1507.2 million in 2017, 1488.2 million in 2016 and 1440.2 million in 2015, according to the latest research from Strategy Analytics.

Strategy Analytics said smartphone shipments fell 6 percent to 376 million units in Q4 2018 and declined 5 percent in 2018.

Research agency IDC said smartphone shipment dipped 4.9 percent to 375.4 million units in Q4 and dropped 4.1 percent to 1.4 billion units for the full year.

Lengthening replacement cycles, increasing smartphone penetration levels in large markets, political and economic uncertainty, and growing consumer frustration around continuously rising price points were the main reasons.

“With challenging market conditions continuing into the first quarter of 2019, the likelihood of a declining market this year becomes more of a reality,” said Ryan Reith, program vice president with IDC’s Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers.

Top 5 smartphone makers

Samsung with 18.7 percent, Apple with 18.2 percent, Huawei with 16.1 percent, Oppo with 7.8 percent and Xiaomi with 7.6 percent share are the top five global smartphone makers in Q4 2018, according to IDC.

Samsung with 18.4 percent, Apple with 17.5 percent, Huawei with 16.1 percent, Xiaomi with 8.3 percent and Oppo with 6.9 percent are the top five smartphone makers in Q4 2018, according to Strategy Analytics.