Huawei shipped more smartphones than Samsung in the second quarter due to high demand in China and depressed smartphone demand around the globe due to COVID-19, says research firm Canalys.
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No access to the US market, no problem. During the second quarter, Huawei for the first time became the world’s largest smartphone vendor, according to research firm Canalys.
From April to June, Huawei shipped 55.8 million units, just a little more than second-place Samsung, which shipped 53.7 million units.
However, the Chinese company’s rise to No. 1 wasn’t necessarily due to a snazzy new product or feature. Canalys points to COVID-19, and how the pandemic depressed smartphone demand across the globe. In Huawei’s case, the company’s smartphone shipments were actually down year over year by 5 percent. But the situation was worse for Samsung, despite releasing the Galaxy S20. Its shipments fell 30 percent year over year, opening the door for Huawei to grab the top spot.
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“If it wasn’t for COVID-19, it wouldn’t have happened,” Canalys Senior Analyst Ben Stanton said in a statement.
