Global smartphone shipments totalled 341 million units in the second quarter of 2019, down 3 percent from the same period a year earlier, as higher sales at number one and two manufacturers Samsung and Huawei were offset by lower shipments from Apple and certain smaller brands. Enhanced demand in major markets such as China is set to help stabilise worldwide shipments in the second half of the year, according to research from Strategy Analytics.
Samsung led sales in the second quarter at 76.3 million units, up from 71.5 million a year earlier and had a market share of 22.3 percent, up from 20.4 percent, but this was driven by midrange and entry-level models and the company's profit margins declined due to fierce price competition.Huawei consolidated its second-place spot with 58.7 million units sold, up from 54.2 million, and had a 17.2 percent share, up from 15.5 percent, thanks largely to a surge in domestic Chinese sales as the company sought to offset regulatory uncertainty in other major regions such as North America and Western Europe, Strategy Analytics said.
Apple sold 38.0 million units in the second quarter, down 8 percent from 41.3 million a year earlier as lower pricing and trade-in deals in China failed to offset challenging markets in India and Europe.
The researchers said the decline in the global market was less severe than in the year-earlier period and that relatively enhanced demand in major markets such as China will help stabilise the sector in the second half of 2019.
Among smaller players, Xiaomi was unchanged in fourth place, with sales unchanged at 32.0 million units and a market share of 9.4 percent, up from 9.1 percent, as strong sales in India offset competition from Huawei in China. Oppo was placed fifth, with sales of 29.8 million units, down from 30.2 million and with a market share of 8.7 percent, up from 8.6 percent, as progress in Europe was offset by pressure in its domestic market from Huawei.
