Huawei has taken second place among the biggest smartphone manufacturers in the world after shipping more units than Apple in the second quarter.
The China-based mobile phone maker looks like it will not be settling for No. 2 though, as it is rapidly closing in on the holder of the top spot, Samsung.
Huawei Vs Apple Vs Samsung
According to different search firms, including International Data Corporation, IHS Markit, Canalys, and Counterpoint Research, Huawei eclipsed Apple to take the spot as the world's second-biggest smartphone vendor in terms of sales.
Preliminary data from IDC pegged Huawei shipments at 54.2 million smartphones in the second quarter, for a significant 40.9 percent increase compared with the same period last year. Apple shipments, meanwhile, was set at 41.3 million units, for just a 0.7 percent increase.
With these numbers, Huawei takes a 15.8 percent market share in the cutthroat smartphone market, while Apple holds 12.1 percent. According to IDC, this is the first time since the second quarter of 2010 that Apple was out of the top two in terms of market share.
Samsung held on to its crown as the biggest mobile phone manufacturer. The company shipped 71.5 million devices, and held a 20.9 percent market share. However, Samsung saw a 10.4 percent decrease in shipments for the second quarter compared with the same period of 2017.
Huawei Charging To Top Spot
All eyes are on rivals Samsung and Apple, as they prepare to unveil their latest flagship smartphones. The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is slated to be revealed on Aug. 9, while Apple is expected to launch three 2018 iPhone models in September.
However, with a significant growth rate compared to Samsung's declining performance, Huawei is charging toward the top spot in the smartphone market. The mission continues even within a difficult year for the Chinese brand, which has failed to forge a deal with a U.S. carrier over alleged political pressure.
"Huawei's strategy has evolved significantly over the last six months," said Canalys analyst Mo Jia. "Despite its failure to strike a US carrier partnership earlier this year, the company has turned around quickly, moving away from its drive for profitability and focusing instead on finding volume growth at the low end."
Huawei's high-end offering have been no slouch either, with the Huawei P20 and P20 Pro taking the title as the smartphones with the best cameras, according to DxOMark rankings. Huawei is also looking to release a foldable smartphone before Samsung.
