According to Digitimes Research's statistics, global tablet shipments amounted to 32 million units in first-quarter 2022 in line with expectation. The volume was the lowest since the COVID-19 outbreak started in first-quarter 2020 as the tablet market sustained pressure from the slow season and rising inflation while no longer enjoying pandemic-driven work-from-home (WFH) and online learning demand.

According to DIGITIMES Research's surveys and analyses, first-quarter 2022 smartphone shipments to the China market fell 26.5% from the prior year level, coming short of the 70-million-unit mark amid weak market demand.

According to DIGITIMES Research's statistics and analyses, China-based smartphone brands shipped a total of 170 million phones worldwide in first-quarter 2022, down 12.9% from the prior quarter with the China market experiencing worsening decline and overseas markets entering slow season and undergoing seasonal adjustment after the year-end shopping season.

According to Digitimes Research's surveys and analyses, first-quarter 2022 smartphone application processor (AP) shipments to China-based vendors amounted to 178 million units, increasing 4% from the prior quarter but decreasing 16% from the prior year as Xiaomi, Oppo and Transsion ramped up inventory with their efforts to expand into Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia and Latin America generating results.

Global smartphone shipments are expected to experience another quarter of on-year decline in the second quarter of 2022, dropping for four quarters straight since third-quarter 2021.

This Asia tech industry summary will mainly focus on Japan taking a step ahead of Europe and the US in semiconductor policy; Xiaomi focusing on the integration of its smartphone and AIoT products; and Hyundai Kia lagging its five major competitors in operating margin in 2021.

DIGITIMES Research's statistics and forecast show global smartphone shipments declined for three quarters straight from third-quarter 2021 to first-quarter 2022.

This Asia tech industry summary will mainly focus on Geely completing the acquisition of Meizu to bolster its deployments for electric vehicles (EVs), semiconductors, low-Earth orbit satellites, and flying cars; Samsung Electronics reportedly cutting production due to low demand; and EV Motors Japan planning to mass-produce electric buses in Kitakyushu, Japan.