Samsung regains global smartphone market lead, Xiaomi now third
- According to global research firm, Samsung recaptured the largest smartphone OEM title from Huawei in the third quarter of 2020.
- With a record quarter, Xiaomi overtook Apple as the third largest smartphone manufacturer in the world.
- Global smartphone shipments also returned to near 2019 levels as the industry continued to recover.
With the good news from India, the global smartphone market also appears to be showing signs of recovery. According to research by IDC, worldwide smartphone shipments in the third quarter of 2020 were over 353 million, just below the level of the previous year. However, some OEMs recovered more than others.
It was a positive quarter for Samsung. Although it only grew 2.9% year over year, that was enough to regain Huawei’s smartphone leadership position. The Korean company has shipped 80.4 million units for a market share of 22.7%. Again, his position is undisputed. Both Canalys and Counterpoint listed Samsung as the top smartphone maker in Q3 2020 as Huawei’s decline continues.
The Chinese company’s struggles in the west are exacerbated by decreased shipments in their homeland. IDC, once a stronghold of Huawei, saw Chinese shipments drop 15%, according to IDC. Canalys’ data also suggests that Huawei shipments in Europe are down 25% year over year.
Xiaomi’s meteoric rise continues
While Huawei still ranks second in the world, Xiaomi threatens to topple it. Once again.
Xiaomi saw 42% growth per IDC data year over year, dwarfing Apple shipments for the first time and claiming a 13.1% global market share. This record growth is particularly noteworthy when you consider that prior to the pandemic, around two million units more than the fifth-placed Vivo were shipped. This growth was fueled by the restoration of manufacturing capacity in India, which also reflected the company’s performance in that country.
The late launch of the iPhone 12 series didn’t help Apple in Q3 2020. According to IDC, the now fourth-placed company shipped five million fewer units year-on-year, an annual decrease of almost 11%. Both Counterpoint and IDC expect the company to rebound once the new flagship sales come in.
The BBK battle is heating up
After all, the best of the rest are mostly BBK brands.
Vivo saw a slight increase in smartphone shipments year-over-year, but holds fifth in the world according to IDC data. However, Counterpoint denies this and places Oppo in fifth place. In both cases, this suggests that the companies are separated by a 1% market share.
Realme reportedly had a bumper in the third quarter of 2020. Counterpoint suggests that the company had the strongest growth among OEMs in the world, with shipments up 132% from the previous quarter. The research company ranks seventh worldwide. OnePlus posted 96% quarterly growth driven by its performance in India and Western Europe.
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