Xiaomi overtakes Apple to become No 2 smartphone maker globally

China’s Xiaomi overtook Apple in the second quarter of 2021 to become the world’s No 2 smartphone maker, a report said on Thursday.

Xiaomi took the second spot for the first time with 17 per cent share of worldwide smartphone shipments, up 3 per cent from the previous quarter, according to the report from market research firm Canalys.

Samsung continued to hold the top spot with a 19 per cent share, while Apple was pushed down to third spot with a 14 per cent share, Canalys said.

Oppo and Vivo (both 10 per cent) completed the top five.

Global smartphone shipments rose 12 per cent in the second quarter, it said.

Xiaomi’s shipments increased more than 300 per cent in Latin America, 150 per cent Africa and 50 per cent in Western Europe, Canalys Research Manager Ben Stanton said. It is still largely skewed toward the mass market, however, and compared with Samsung and Apple, its average selling price is around 40 per cent and 75 per cent cheaper, respectively, he said.

“Major priority for Xiaomi this year is to grow 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 objective, and both willing to spend big on above-the-line marketing to build their brands in a way that Xiaomi is not,” Stanton said.