Smartphone Market Rebounds: Q1 Sees 26% Growth

Global Smartphone Market Recovery Gains Momentum

Indications suggest a stabilization and recovery within the worldwide smartphone market following the challenges experienced in 2020. Recent data released by Gartner reveals a substantial 26% surge in global sales when compared to the same period last year, the first quarter of 2021.

This significant increase, however, follows a period characterized by market deceleration over several years, culminating in a sharp decline during the pandemic.

Challenges Faced by Manufacturers in 2020

Smartphone manufacturers encountered difficulties from multiple angles throughout the previous year. The year 2020 began with disruptions to manufacturing processes, initially affecting China and broader regions of Asia due to the onset of COVID-19.

Subsequently, global demand experienced a slowdown as lockdowns were implemented and widespread job losses, coupled with economic instability, negatively impacted sales figures.

Market Share and Leading Manufacturers

The latest figures from Gartner confirm the continuation of the existing top three global manufacturers from the previous year. Samsung increased its market share from 18.4% to 20.3%, largely driven by the success of its more affordable devices, reclaiming the leading position.

Apple briefly attained the No. 1 spot in the fourth quarter, propelled by its introduction of 5G capabilities. However, the company has since fallen to No. 2 for the first quarter, mirroring its ranking from the same period last year.

Despite this shift, Apple’s overall market share has risen by approximately 2% year-over-year, reaching 15.5% according to the reported data.

The top five are completed by three Chinese manufacturers – Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo – while Huawei continues to navigate ongoing challenges.

Impact of Chip Shortages

Currently, the global shortage of semiconductor chips does not appear to have significantly affected smartphone shipment volumes.

It remains to be seen whether this trend will continue as the chip shortage persists and potentially intensifies.