Both figures represent a pep-up from the second quarter of 2020, when smartphone shipments more than halved to trough at 150,000, followed by 155,000 for the following quarter. The reason: diverted spending. The long sleepy PC market suddenly jumped 55 per cent as people rushed to update home offices.
As people return to the office, that cycle seems to be over. Gartner says PC shipments were down 12.6 per cent in the second quarter.
Meanwhile, Apple and Samsung look set to continue their dominance of the smartphone market for the rest of the year.
Apple has just released its iPhone 14 lineup (though lead times are stretching for the Pro Max model) while Samsung has established a new and growing smartphone niche with its foldable series, recently updated with the Galaxy Z Flip4 and Galaxy Z Fold4.
Gartner rival IDC says both Apple and Samsung are benefiting from a trend toward more sales of top-shelf models. IDC says 20 per cent of NZ smartphone sales are now in the "super-premium" category, or models over $1500.
Telcos are bolstering the trend with perks like 36-month interest-free payment options and incentives that can see you pay up to $955 if you trade-in a late-model handset.