For the first time in 9 years, Samsung or Apple aren’t the leaders in mobile devices sales.
Tech market analysts Canalys, Counterpoint, and IDC reported that Huawei has shipped more phones worldwide than any other vendor in the second quarter of 2020.
The Chinese mobile giants shipped 55.8 million devices, down 5% year on year, compared to Samsung’s 53.7 million smartphones — a 30% fall drop, according to Canalys’ research.
It’s not that Huawei’s sales have increased since last year, instead, the numbers have decreased by 5%. But due to the attack of coronavirus every other company has seen their sales go down and Samsung’s sales have reduced by a drastic 30%.
Apple is at number 3 with an increase in 25% of sales. All the credits would go to iPhone SE. The launch of SE in the first quarter was crucial to Apple’s success.
In Q1 2019, Huawei’s shipments were split nearly evenly between China and the global market, at 51 and 49 percent, respectively. In Q2 2020 the company sold 72 percent of its phones in China, according to Canalys, with only 28 percent of sales hitting the global market. The global sales are less due to US government restrictions.
The reason to this success?
“If it wasn’t for COVID-19, it wouldn’t have happened. Huawei has taken full advantage of the Chinese economic recovery to reignite its smartphone business,” Ben Stanton, a Canalys senior analyst, said in a press release.
Well, Huawei might be leading the race due to the crisis now but it won’t last long. Once the global economy starts to recover even the Chinese population won’t be enough to keep Huawei at the top. The ban placed by the USA is killing Huawei’s sales across the globe.
Huawei can’t use US chips or technology but it has been able to stay in the race due to its in-house HiSilicon chip division. Soon, they will face a chip issue as TSMC, the world’s leading silicon foundry has said it will have to cut Huawei off from shipments after September 14.
Ben Stanton, a Canalys senior analyst, said in a press release. “Samsung has a very small presence in China, with less than 1% market share, and has seen its core markets, such as Brazil, India, the United States, and Europe, ravaged by outbreaks and subsequent lockdowns.”