The smartphone market numbers are in. Several companies including Motorola and Xiaomi were winners on the shipment side, but new data reminds us once again that there’s more to the smartphone business than market share.
Apple’s iPhone dominates when it comes to money
The total value of smartphones shipped in the second quarter reached $96 billion, an increase of 25% according to Counterpoint Research. It comes at a time when brands are facing supply issues, making the achievement all that more impressive.Apple’s iPhone accounted for the lion’s share of revenue with a 41% slice. That’s a new record for the June quarter and up from 34% twelve months earlier. Compare to the first quarter, Apple’s share is down one percentage point.
Counterpoint Research attributes the iPhone’s continued success in recent months to the high demand for the iPhone 12 series and Apple’s careful supply chain management during the quarter.
Samsung followed in a distant second place
Samsung was the world’s largest smartphone brand in the second quarter of 2021 and the second largest in terms of smartphone revenue, with a 15% share. That’s down from 17% in Q2 2020.
The South Korean giant shifted its focus towards premium smartphones in regions like the US where there were supply issues, meaning it maximized its revenue potential in a bad situation.
Xiaomi continues to reap the benefits of Huawei’s exit
Xiaomi was a huge winner on the shipment front, and it also posted nice gains in the revenue department. The Chinese brand reportedly accounted for 9% of global smartphone revenue, up from 6% a year ago.
The company continues to rely heavily on low-cost smartphones, but increased demand for mid-range smartphones in Europe and Southeast Asia provided a nice boost to overall revenue.
Oppo and Vivo matched Xiaomi’s performance with another 9% share of revenue each. That’s up from 7% and 6%, respectively. Global expansion and continue performance in China drove Oppo’s better results, whereas Vivo’s success was mainly attributed to its mid-range products.
