How Feature Adoption Is Driving Smartphone Innovation in Vietnam

Feature Adoption Trends Are Reshaping Smartphone Innovation Strategies in Vietnam

As the Vietnam smartphone market matures, feature adoption patterns are increasingly dictating how the manufacturers decide on product roadmaps and development budget allocation. Vietnamese consumers carefully pick their usage of advanced features, and this is pushing brands to put the greater emphasis on practical innovation rather than making experimental upgrades.

Vietnams smartphone users are young, digitally engaged, and their dependence on mobile devices for work as well as for entertainment is constantly growing. However, adoption of new features remains cautious and strongly usage-driven. When brands misjudge feature relevance, they risk overengineering products that fail to improve sell-through or strengthen brand loyalty. As a result, feature strategy is increasingly guided by real-world usage data.

5G Adoption Is Gradual but Strategically Important

5G smartphones in Vietnam are steadily gaining popularity, although adoption has been more restrained than early forecasts suggested. Despite ongoing network rollout, many buyers continue to prioritize immediate value over purchasing decisions based solely on future-proofing. According to the market research, Samsung ranked third with 4.3 million units and a 17% market share, down 3% year on year, though demand for its 5G-capable devices grew in markets like Vietnam and Singapore, supported by the improved value proposition of its Galaxy A06 5G and A16 5G models.

Essentially, for manufacturers, adding 5G technology to their devices is more about keeping the product portfolio relevant. Mobile device makers are incorporating 5G as a default feature in newer chipsets to sustain their product relevance, even if LTE usage remains minimal. Following this trend, manufacturers are able to increase the lifespan of their products while marketing them as future-proof devices for the upcoming network enhancements.

On the other side, this has been a determining factor for shifting focus towards power efficiency and modem optimization. Consumers in Vietnam put a higher value on battery life rather than the maximum download speed, which means that providers have to make sure that 5G compatibility does not interfere with the device's practicality during regular usage. This balancing is influencing the choice of chipsets and software upgrades in different product tiers.

Camera Features Are Being Refined, Not Expanded

Camera development in Vietnam has now shifted to a refinement stage. Instead of increasing the number of lenses or going for high megapixel count, manufacturers are focusing on improving consistency and usability. Features such as low, light performance, video stabilization, and AI-assisted image processing are becoming the main focal points. 

This shift reflects how Vietnamese consumers use smartphone cameras. A significant share of content is created for social media and messaging platforms, often indoors or during evening hours. In response, brands are optimizing sensors and software for these conditions rather than pursuing technical extremes alone.

Features like optical image stabilization and advanced night modes, which were previously exclusive to flagship models, have become a regular feature in mid-range devices. For manufacturers, this shift in camera feature distribution allows them to have stronger differentiation in the most competitive price tiers while at the same time keeping the component costs under control.

Battery and Charging Innovations Are Gaining Priority

Battery performance has emerged as one of the most significant factors affecting the sales of smartphones in Vietnam. The combination of heavy daily usage, mobile gaming, and video consumption has raised the bar for battery life. Thus, manufacturers have been putting battery capacity and charging speed at the top of their priority list.

Fast charging is becoming an everyday convenience rather than a premium feature in mid-tier devices, where power levels often exceed 60W. This approach reflects a clear understanding of the local market, where users prioritize uninterrupted phone usage over marginal gains in device aesthetics.

On the research and development front, battery capacity is only one part of battery innovation that continues to be unveiled. More attention is now being given to thermal management, charging safety, and long battery life. Brands that showcase their battery performance safety and efficiency over extended battery life would be successful in a market where the consumers are postponing their purchase cycles.

AI Features Are Being Localized for Practical Use

Artificial intelligence is nowadays one of the key features in smartphone marketing across the world. However, in Vietnam, practicality largely determines the uptake of AI among consumers. AI-based features tend to gain stronger acceptance when they directly support everyday tasks such as photography, battery optimization, and overall system performance. In fact, more conceptual AI features have a slower rate of engagement unless they offer an immediate, visible benefit. For example, Apple Intelligence, launched in June 2025, can detect to-do items buried in emails, notes, or webpages and suggest a complete checklist for the user, automatically.

Manufacturers are integrating AI features according to users' local habits. Features such as language support, camera scene recognition, and background process optimization are areas where AI has delivered tangible, user-perceived value. Such localization comes at the cost of additional development work; however, it enhances the perception of usefulness by users.
 
For businesses, AI is also a tool for differentiation that is driven by software and hence does not necessitate considerable cost increases in the hardware component. Therefore, consumers in the mid-range segments where margins are sensitive find it particularly attractive. It is anticipated that AI-driven features will increasingly act as a key feature to keep users within a brands ecosystem.

Explore feature trends, strategies, and future outlook in the Vietnam Smartphone Market Report.

Gaming Performance Is Influencing Design Choices

Mobile gaming continues to influence feature trends in Vietnam, extending well beyond dedicated gaming devices. Users now view smooth frame rates, responsive touch sampling, and effective cooling as baseline expectations. In response, manufacturers are integrating gaming-oriented optimizations across broader product lineups.

This trend is reshaping internal component decisions. Improved thermal solutions and more efficient GPU performance are being prioritized, even when this results in slightly thicker designs. Audio quality and haptic feedback are also receiving greater attention, as they contribute to more immersive gaming experiences.