Xiaomi overtakes Apple for the first time as the third biggest phone maker

Xiaomi overtakes Apple for the first time as the third biggest phone maker by market share in Q3 2020 according to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC). 

IDC shared that Xiaomi shipped 46.5 million devices to capture a market share of 13.1%. The 42% growth is due to strong sales in India and a continued strong presence in China. The Redmi 9 series sold well in both India and China. 

On the other hand, Apple saw shipments declined 10.6% year over year with 41.6 million units in Q3 2020. The decline in shipment is due to the delay in the launch of the iPhone 12 lineup. Nonetheless, the iPhone 11 series and iPhone SE continued to fare well. IDC expects Apple to grow in the coming quarters with strong early demand for the iPhone 12.

Samsung reclaimed the top spot from Huawei with a market share of 22.7% and shipment of 80.4 million phones. Its M series models did very well in the Indian market while the A series and Note20 series fared well in the U.S.  

Huawei saw its phone shipments declined significantly from the impact of the U.S trade restrictions. The Chinese company settled into second position with 51.9 million phones shipped and a market share of 14.7%.

Rounding out the top five is Vivo which saw 31.5 million phones shipped. Vivo saw massive growth in India with its entry-level models. Its S, iQOO and X series enhanced its market presence in China.

Overall, IDC believed the global smartphone market is improving with shipments declining just 1.3% year over year. The results were better than its previous forecast, which is mainly attributed to the re-opening of economies around the world.

Source: IDC

Our articles may contain affiliate links. If you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission.