Chinese handset brand Realme announced global smartphone shipments surpassed 200 million units since it entered the market in 2018, a milestone Counterpoint Research estimates makes it the fifth fastest brand to hit this number. 

Realme stated it booked 100 million smartphone users globally in 2021, which gave it “widespread recognition” in a landscape saturated with over 700 smartphones and “a hierarchy of leading brands” when it first launched. 

Fast-forward to 2023 and it is now part of what research company Counterpoint Research coins as the “200 million club”, a term for 14 brands which has shipped this number of smartphones to date. 

Out of the group, Counterpoint Research found only Vivo, Samsung, Huawei and Apple had taken less time to ship the same number of units. 

Realme explained its milestone in shipments is largely due to its strategy and R&D investment aimed at improving the design and performance of its devices, a move which encapsulates its own research institute that focuses on phone’s display, photography, gaming and charging features. In 2024, Realme added it plans to increase R&D spending by 470 per cent.

“Despite a shrinking global smartphone market over the past two years, Realme has maintained healthy and steady growth even [when] facing market competition and pressure from external environment”, the company said. 

Further, it is due to launch the Realme GT5 Pro next week.