Xiaomi and Huawei drive smartphone growth as Apple and Samsung chase revenue

Saturated smartphone markets meant that the only manufacturers that enjoyed growth during the first quarter of 2018 were the Chinese pair of Huawei and Xiaomi.

According to IHS Markit figures, Huawei remains the world's third largest smartphone maker, commanding 11 percent of the market and the displacement of 39.3 million units, an increase of 14 percent year after year.

However, Xiaomi recorded a staggering 129 percent increase, selling 29.3 million units and securing eight percent of the market. [19659004] Smart phone sales

Chinese telephone companies have performed well in their domestic market, where low cost and lack of brand loyalty have allowed new entrants to flourish, but there are signs that even here there is saturation

Fifth and sixth positions are occupied by two other Chinese firms Oppo and Vivo, but none of them has been able to expand beyond their homeland. This contrasts with Huawei, which has been successful in many countries and critically acclaimed by the high-end P20, and Xiaomi, which has been successful in other parts of Asia.

Meanwhile, future ZTE smartphone prospects could be damaged by a component and banning sales of services in the United States. He is currently in the ninth position.

"Oppo and Vivo have established strong brands in China, where they can sell models of mid-range and high-end smartphones," said Jusy Hong, director of mobile devices at IHS. Markit.

"As a result, the smartphones sold by the two brands internationally come mainly from their low-end lines, which affects overall profitability, Oppo and Vivo have begun to adjust their portfolio mix to more profitable models. However, a return to double-digit growth will likely be difficult for these two brands, with no international expansion beyond Southeast Asia. "

The market as a whole increased by 2 percent to 345.5 million, with Samsung and Apple holding the top two positions. Samsung changed 78 million phones and has 22% of the market, while Apple sold 52.2 million and has 15%.

Both volumes decreased, however, the value of each sale increased thanks to Samsung's focus on high-end models and the launch of the iPhone X.

Last week, Samsung revealed that the strong sales of the Galaxy S9 generated "considerable growth in profits", with profits that reached £ 11 billion during its first quarter.

Apple also launched healthy sales in the first quarter figures, but now stores nine iPhone models and sells phones older than ever, something that could affect their balance in the future.

Other manufacturers that make up the top ten include LG, Motorola and TCL-Alcatel. [19659015]

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