According to a newly released report with shipment estimates from Canalys, a technology research resource firm for vendors, Apple is no longer the #2 smartphone vendor in the world.
The Canalys report shows that Apple was the #3 smartphone vendor in the second quarter of 2021, not #2 as they were in Q1 of 2021. It goes on to list Xiaomi as the #2 smartphone vendor with a 17% share in total sales for this period. That’s just a smidge ahead of Apple with a 14% share that places them in the #3 spot, and a smidge below Samsung with a 19% share that keeps them in the #1 spot. Oppo and Vivo trailed behind all of them with a 10% share in total sales for each.
“In Q2 2021, global smartphone shipments increased 12%, as vaccines rolled out around the world, and the new normal for economies and citizens started to take shape. Samsung was the leading vendor with a 19% share of smartphones shipped. Xiaomi took second place for the first time ever, with a 17% share. Apple was third, with 14%, while Vivo and Oppo maintained strong growth momentum to complete the top five.“
– Canalys
The report goes on to attribute overseas growth from Xiaomi with a shipment increase of more than 300% in Latin America, 150% in Africa, and 50% in Western Europe, for its #2 ranking. That, as well as an overall market recovery after a global pandemic wreaked havoc on more than smartphone sales.
With Xiaomi known for selling more affordable smartphones, it’s no surprise why they’re having this level of success. They sell everything from sub-$100 smartphones all the way up to premium devices like the Mi 11 Ultra and the Mi MIX Fold, pretty much something for everyone with this range of devices. The majority of its sales however, are from selling cheaper devices, which is not really a stronghold of either Samsung or Apple. They also have a strong presence in emerging markets like India, where they’re currently seeing the most success.
The second quarter is traditionally the quietest period for Apple and Samsung as both prepare for new handset launches in the coming months. We reported earlier on Bloomberg’s article that Apple has asked suppliers to build as many as 90 million next-generation iPhones this year, a sharp increase from its 2020 iPhone shipments.
Good luck to Xiaomi for hanging on to that #2 spot in the coming quarters, they’re going to need it.
