Xiaomi may surpass Huawei and become the Third-Largest Smartphone Maker by end of the year

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi Communications Co., Ltd. might take the third spot from Huawei and become the third-largest smartphone company in the world by the end of 2021, according to a new report by research firm Strategy Analytics.

Xiaomi, who currently leads India’s smartphone market, will surpass its Chinese counterpart and rival Huawei this year, the report said. Currently, the third largest smartphone maker in the world, Huawei has been exposed to sanctions imposed by the US that have made the future of its business uncertain.

“For 2021, we believe Xiaomi will emerge as the third-largest global smartphone vendor surpassing Huawei. Xiaomi has been performing well in the India and Russia markets, and has also been very aggressive in Central & Eastern Europe and Western Europe,” said Abhilash Kumar, smartphone analyst at Strategy Analytics. Linda Sui, Senior Director at Strategy Analytics, said 2021 will be the “year of Chinese smartphone vendors”, which includes companies like Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo.

The three vendors are expected to become the top three players in the Asia Pacific region, “driven by aggressive marketing, expanding channel footprints, and competitive pricing.”

Further, Transsion Holdings, which is a manufacturer of mobile phones based in Shenzhen, China, and runs brands like Itel, Tecno, and more, is expected to surpass South Korean tech giant, Samsung, in Africa and Middle East regions. In 2021, the global smartphone market will rebound and grow by 6.5% to reach 1.38 billion units. The growth is expected to be due to the proliferation of 5G smartphones and the boom in the global economic situation after the pandemic.

India’s smartphone market]registered a record 100 million shipments in the second half of 2020, according to a February report by Cybermedia Research (CMR), Chinese smartphone vendor Xiaomi currently leads this improving Indian market. The report said 27% of the market share in India is owned by Xiaomi, followed by Samsung at 20%. The next three spots were occupied by Chinese makers Vivo, Realme, and Oppo, with 14%, 11%, and 10% market share, respectively.

SOURCE