After a mixed third quarter of 2020, Apple takes first place in the world ranking of smartphone sales. According to the Gartner Institute, the American firm sold nearly 80 million iPhones in the fourth quarter of 2020, far ahead of Samsung. Xiaomi, Oppo and Huawei follow. Apple's growth in the quarter is close to 15%, while the global market stumbles by 5.4%.
The iPhone 12 range seems to be a big hit with buyers. Some more than others of course. The iPhone 12 Mini, for example, is relatively shunned (5% of iPhone sales in the United States according to a study), while the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max have seen their production volumes increase. A rumor even claims that Apple could increase production of the iPhone 12 Pro Max by 11 million units.
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According to some financial analysts, Apple's market capitalization could exceed 3 trillion dollars before the end of 2021. A very good performance, even if this remains to be confirmed with the arrival of the iPhone 13 which could be sold more expensive than their predecessors because of a shortage of components which affects smartphones as well as game consoles and graphics cards.
Apple sold nearly 80 million smartphones at the end of 2020
This commercial success is obviously reflected in market studies. The Gartner institute has published its barometer for the fourth quarter of 2020. This confirms that Apple has indeed moved into first position in the ranking of smartphone sales in the world. The firm has sold almost 80 million smartphones in three months, up 14.9% compared to the fourth quarter of 2019. With 20.8% market share, Apple therefore largely takes the lead, when it was almost tied with Samsung a year earlier.
Samsung is in second place. With 62 million smartphones sold (16.2% market share), the Korean firm saw its volumes drop by 11.8%. Xiaomi is in third place, with 43.4 million smartphones sold. Its market share is 11.3%. And its progression is 33.9%, the highest of the top 5.
Oppo is in fourth position. The Chinese brand is enjoying a 12.9% increase in sales, with 33.4 million phones sold. It now holds 8.9% of the market. According to Gartner, Huawei is in fifth position (and not Vivo). The former world leader is robbed of fourth place by just a few tens of thousands of units. Huawei's year-on-year decline is dazzling: -41.1%. The global market stumbles by 5.4% and stands at 384.6 million smartphones sold.