According to a report by market analysis firm Canalasy, Apple was the most popular smartphone manufacturer in terms of worldwide smartphone shipments in Q4 2021. The Cupertino-based company took first place from competitor Samsung and accounted for 22% of global smartphone sales last quarter despite supply chain issues and rising coronavirus cases. increase around the world. Meanwhile, Chinese smartphone makers Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo come in at third, fourth and fifth place, with market shares of 12%, 9% and 8% respectively.
According to a report by Canalys, Apple finally defeated Samsung took the top spot in the smartphone shipment competition, thanks to strong demand for iPhone 13″ series. “Apple has seen unprecedented iPhone performance in Mainland China, with aggressive pricing for its flagship devices,” the report read. The company’s supply chain has also been affected by the pandemic resulting in production cuts (and increased wait times in some markets) but appears to be recovering, according to the report.
| Seller | Market share in the fourth quarter of 2020 | Market share in the fourth quarter of 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | 23% | 22% |
| Samsung | 17% | 20% |
| Xiaomi | twelfth% | twelfth% |
| Oppo | ten% | 9% |
| Vivo | 9% | 8% |
| Credit: Canalys |
According to the report, Samsung came in second place and accounted for 20% of total smartphone shipments worldwide in Q4 2021. The South Korean smartphone maker showed an improvement compared to Q4 2020, when accounting for 17% of total global smartphone shipments. Meanwhile, Xiaomi in third place with 12% of handsets sold worldwide. Oppo and Vivo took fourth and fifth place with 9 percent and 8 percent, respectively, according to the report.
Back in December, Bloomberg report that Apple has informed suppliers that it does not expect customers to maintain interest after long waits for the company’s latest iPhone 13 series. The report suggests that the Cupertino company expects supply to improve in 2022. Before that, Apple cut its iPhone 13 production plan by 10 million units, thanks in part to a global chip shortage that resulted in shortage of iPhone components, according to an ex. report by Bloomberg.
The global semiconductor shortage appears to be affecting companies other than Apple, and the Canalys report says smartphone makers are adapting to difficulties due to expected component shortages. It is not expected to improve until the second half of 2022. Smartphone manufacturers are said to be modifying device specifications to accommodate available components. Moves like prioritizing best-selling smartphones and releasing products over longer periods of time will help larger companies overcome challenges posed by semiconductor shortages, according to the report. report.
