The global smartphone market contracted for a fifth consecutive quarter in Q4 2018, down 6.3 percent in 362.5 million units, according to Canalys. The market researcher estimates that Apple overtook Samsung to become the largest vendor, with a 19.8 percent share or 71.7 million iPhones shipped.
Samsung was close behind with a 19.4 percent share, after shipping an estimated 70.3 million smartphones, down 5.3 percent from a year earlier. Both Samsung and Apple lost market share compared to a year ago, largely to number three Huawei. Canalys estimates that Huawei's global share rose to 16.7 percent in Q4 from 10.6 percent a year ago, after the Chinese company grew shipments 47.3 percent to 60.5 million.
Oppo was in fourth place with an 8.8 percent share, up from 6.8 percent a year earlier. Xiaomi came fifth with a share of 7.3 percent, up from 7.0 percent in Q4 2017.
Over the full year 2018, Canalys estimates the market shipped 1.388 billion smartphones, down 4.6 percent from 2017. Apple was still in second place with a share of 15.3 percent, while Samsung took the top spot with 21.2 percent, down from 21.8 percent in 2017. Both Huawei and Xiaomi grew full-year shipments over 30 percent, and came in third and fourth, with respectively 14.8 and 8.7 percent of the market.
