Samsung won the smartphone market race in 2020

Samsungwas the market leader in smartphone sales if 2020 despite smartphone industry declining 1 per cent year-on-year (YoY) in Q4 2020, reveals latest research from Counterpoint’s Market Monitor service.

For Q4, Apple took second place in the global smartphone market. The demand for a new 5G iPhone, strong carrier promotions, especially in the US, and the iPhone 11’s longevity are some of the reasons for this growth reports Counterpoint Research.

Apple also reported holiday quarter sales and profits that beat Wall Street expectations, as new 5G iPhones helped push handset revenue to a new record and sparked a 57% rise in China sales reports Reuters.

“The market declined 10% YoY in CY 2020 due to the spread of Covid-19 and the resulting lockdowns, which impacted performance in the first half of the year. With the easing of lockdowns, the market rebounded in the second half thanks to pent-up demand being fulfilled by the streamlined supply chain. It is interesting to note that the market also made a distinct migration from feature phones to smartphones as the devices became a medium for education, work, and entertainment. A strong 5G push by the industry through reduced device prices and operator tariffs further boosted the market’s recovery process,” says research analyst, Aman Chaudhary.

PHOTO: Counterpoint Research

Samsung took the lead on the chart, shipping 255.7 million units in CY 2020, down 14% YoY. The decline is mainly due to a slow Q4 2020 due to intense competition from iPhone 12 series launch.

Global smartphone market suffers worst contraction in history due to coronavirus

Huawei once challenged Samsung’s top position in the global smartphone market, but the Chinese rival is in survival mode with US restrictions choking off its supplies of chips used in smartphones and telecom equipment.

The South Korean company shipped 59% fewer Galaxy S20 5G series handsets in the United States in the second quarter compared to the previous model's performance a year earlier, according to research firm Canalys. In contrast, Apple shipped 15% more of its flagship iPhone 11 than last year's best-seller, the iPhone XR.

Samsung, however, faces intensifying competition from Chinese rivals like Xiaomi and Oppo, which are expected to take advantage of Huawei’s struggle to retain market share.

Apple sees revenue growth after record sales

Despite the US sanction imposed on Huawei, the company managed to achieve the third position for CY 2020 thanks to its robust performance in China, which contributed to around 70% of its total shipments.

China's market share for the company slumped to 22% from 38% in the year-ago quarter, data from research firm Canalys showed. The company remained the market leader, however, with a slim lead over closest rival Oppo.

OPPO grew 8% YoY and 10% QoQ to achieve 9% market share (34 million units) in Q4 2020. The company performed well in the Indian market with its shipments growing 11% YoY in 2020. The surge in demand was mainly due to pre-festive season promotions in October.