Global smartphone market grows 17.4% year-over-year

First half 2021 shipments reached 651.8 million units, up 17.4% YoY compared to 1H20, when shipments reached 555.4 million units.

In further signs of change in the global smartphone picture, Xiaomi took the number 2 position for shipments in a quarter and the first half of year for the first time. The company shipped 49.9 million units in 2Q21, second only to Samsung’s 57.3 million units.

In the first half of 2021, Xiaomi shipped 99.4 million units, behind only Samsung, which shipped 133.3 million units. The era of Huawei as a key smartphone influencer has come to an end.

Top 10 manufacturers

Samsung took the top spot, shipping 57.3 million units, up 5.6% YoY, compared to the 54.3 million units shipped in 1Q20. The mild growth in shipments in the second quarter was largely attributed to a supply constraint of key components and reduced operations at production facilities due to the spread of delta variants in India and Vietnam, where Samsung's main production bases are located.

Xiaomi reached second place in 2Q21, shipping 49.9 million units – up 72.9% compared to 2Q20. Xiaomi did not see shipments decline QoQ, instead growing just under 1% from 1Q21 to 2Q21. Xiaomi also experienced a decrease in production due to the spread of COVID-19 delta variant in India in the second quarter, but the decrease in shipments was relatively small compared to Samsung.

On the other hand, a significant increase in sales outside the Asia-Pacific region, where the spread of the coronavirus is severe, is the main reason for the increase in shipments in the second quarter.

Apple, in third position, saw shipments increase 7.5% YoY, thanks to a recovery in demand in developed markets and an increase in demand for premium smartphones in emerging markets.

OPPO and vivo reversed rankings again in 2Q21. OPPO shipped 32.5 million units – slightly more than the 31.6 million units vivo shipped in 2Q21. YoY, OPPO grew shipments by 44.7% and vivo by 33.5% compared to 2Q20.

Realme grew shipments by 174.5% to 11.4 million units, up from 4.2 million units in 2Q20 – retaining sixth position globally again. QoQ, shipments were flat for Realme. Realme is one of the few OEMs that brought QoQ growth in Q2 along with Xiaomi and Honor.

Huawei shipped 9.8 million units or 74.6% less than in 2Q20. Compared to 1Q21, Huawei shipments declined 33.3%.

Motorola increased shipments by 42.8% YoY, from 7.4 million units in 2Q20 to 10.6 million units this year. However, QoQ, Motorola’s shipments declined 15.9%.

Transsion holdings brand Tecno grew shipments by 35.7% YoY, from 5.3 million units in 2Q20 to 7.1 million units this past quarter.

Honor rounds out the top 10, shipping 6.7 million units in the quarter, up 86.1% compared to 1Q21.

First half 2021 performance

The rankings of 2Q21 also reflect the rankings for the first half of the year to a large extend.

Samsung leads the way with 133.3 million units shipped in 1H21, compared to 113.2 million units in the first half of 2020.

With its steady performance in the first two quarters of the year, Xiaomi secures second place, with 99.4 million units shipped so far in the year. Apple is in third spot with 98.0 million units. Apple’s shipments increased 24.9% compared to 1H20.

For the first half of the year, Huawei retains sixth spot with 24.5 million units. However, that is a significant decline of 66.9% compared to the first half of last year.

Motorola and Realme are close in seventh and eighth position, with 23.2 million and 22.8 million units shipped in the first half of this year, respectively.

Instead of LG, iTel made the tenth place. Transsion's sub-brands Tecno and iTel made it into the top 10. Including Infinix, Transsion is the 6th largest OEM worldwide.

JUSY HONG, Senior Research Manager, Consumer Devices at Omdia commented: “Despite the spread of the Corona Delta variant and the component shortages, smartphone shipments grew year-on-year in the second quarter. However, 3Q shipments are expected to turn to negative growth compared to the previous year due to continued supply shortage and reduced demand.”