Huawei’s global smartphone shipments jump 50 per cent in first quarter, surpassing Apple, according to IDC
- Total global smartphone shipments, which fell 6.6 per cent to 310.8 million units in the quarter, have now experienced six consecutive quarters of decline
- Though still in first place, Samsung saw its sales drop 8 per cent in Q1, narrowing the gap with Huawei
Global smartphone shipments for Huawei surged 50 per cent in first quarter of 2019, giving the Chinese telecoms giant an edge over rivals Samsung and Apple, which both recorded volume declines, according to data from industry research firm IDC.
Huawei, which is currently locked in a battle with the US over the security of its 5G networking gear, shipped 59 million units in the first quarter, putting it in second place behind Samsung and ahead of Apple, which chalked up a 30 per cent year-on-year decline in shipments to 36 million units, according to the report.
Samsung, which maintained its top spot with a 78.2 per cent share of the global market, saw its sales drop 8 per cent over the quarter as the gap between it and Huawei continues to narrow.
Total global smartphone shipments, which fell 6.6 per cent to 310.8 million units in the quarter, have now experienced six consecutive quarters of decline, indicating ongoing headwinds for handset makers amid saturated markets, slowing economies and as the industry gears up for next-generation networks. This quarter’s data is “a clear sign” that the downward trend will continue to prevail for the rest of 2019 with Huawei’s growing volume the only real highlight, said the report.
“It is becoming increasingly clear that Huawei is laser focused on growing its stature in the world of mobile devices, with smartphones being its lead horse,” Ryan Reith, program vice-president with IDC's Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers, said in the report.