Apple was the world’s third-largest smartphone supplier in the second quarter of 2021, according to smartphone shipping estimates shared today by Canalys.
Apple’s iPhone sales were outpaced by smartphone sales from Samsung and Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi, with Xiaomi overtaking Apple and taking the number two spot for the first time.
Samsung was the most popular smartphone vendor with a 19 percent market share and 15 percent growth, while Xiaomi gained a 17 percent market share thanks to an 83 percent growth in sales of smartphones during the quarter. Apple was responsible for the 14 percent market share, followed by Oppo and Vivo with 10 percent each.
Xiaomi’s growth is driven by overseas business, with the company increasing shipments by more than 300 percent in Latin America, 150 percent in Africa, and 50 percent in Western Europe. Xiaomi is known for selling more affordable smartphones and their average asking price is around 75 percent cheaper than Apple’s iPhones.
In the future, to outperform Samsung, Canalys suggests that Xiaomi will need to increase its sales of high-end devices like the Mi 11 Ultra, which is priced at more than $ 900.
So one of Xiaomi’s top priorities this year is to increase sales of its high-end devices, such as the Mi 11 Ultra. But it will be a tough battle, with Oppo and Vivo sharing the same goal, and both willing to spend a lot on marketing above the line to build their brands in a way that Xiaomi does not. All suppliers are fighting hard to secure component supply amid global shortages, but Xiaomi already has its sights set on the next prize: displacing Samsung to become the world’s largest supplier.
Global smartphone shipments vary from quarter to quarter, with Apple and Samsung typically ranking first and second. In the fourth quarter of 2020, Apple was the number one smartphone supplier in the world due to strong sales of iPhone 12 models, so Apple may overtake Xiaomi in subsequent quarters as launch approaches. of the iPhone 13.
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