May Smartphone Imports Skewed to Low End on Influx of Cheaper Chinese Phones

COVID-19 stay-at-home mandates didn’t have the same invigorating effect on May smartphone imports to the U.S. as on connectivity tools like laptops and tablets (see 2007100025), show Census Bureau data we accessed Saturday through the International Trade Commission. U.S. importers sourced 12.5 million smartphones from all countries in May. That's up 8.9% from April, down 23% from May 2019. May smartphone imports had $3.01 billion in customs value, down 1.9% from April and 25% from the same year-earlier month. The average May smartphone import was worth $240.56. China generated 79% of May smartphone imports to the U.S., up a few points from April and May 2019. Vietnam, the world’s largest country of origin for smartphones worth less than $200, ceded share to China in May, falling a few points to 14.5%.