Global smartphone shipments dip 4 per cent in Q1 2019

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, global smartphone shipments fell 4 percent annually to reach 330 million units in Q1 2019. Global smartphone shipments are showing signs of stabilizing and the outlook is improving for later this year. Samsung maintained first position with 22 percent global smartphone marketshare in the first quarter of 2019, staying ahead of Huawei in second, followed by Apple in third place.

Linda Sui, Director at Strategy Analytics, said, “Global smartphone shipments dipped 4 percent annually from 345.4 million units in Q1 2018 to 330.4 million in Q1 2019. The global smartphone market has declined again on an annual basis, but the fall was less severe than before, and this was the industry’s best performance for three quarters. Global smartphone shipments are finally showing signs of stabilizing, due to relatively improved demand in major markets like China. The outlook for later this year is improving.”

Neil Mawston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “Samsung shipped 71.8 million smartphones worldwide in Q1 2019, dipping 8 percent annually from 78.2 million units in Q1 2018. Samsung remains the world’s number one smartphone vendor, but it is coming under growing pressure from Huawei, who has larger presence in the huge China market. Huawei surged 50 percent annually and outgrew all major rivals to ship 59.1 million smartphones worldwide during Q1 2019, up from 39.3 million in Q1 2018. Huawei captured a record 18 percent global smartphone marketshare in Q1 2019. Huawei is closing in on Samsung and streaking ahead of Apple, due to its strong presence across China, Western Europe and Africa.”

Woody Oh, Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “Apple iPhone shipped 43.1 million units to capture 13 percent global smartphone marketshare in Q1 2019, dipping from 15 percent a year ago. Apple lost ground in China during the quarter and is struggling to make headway in price-sensitive India. However, decent price cuts in China and India during recent weeks indicate the iPhone will bounce back slightly in those two countries in the next quarter.”

Linda Sui, Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “Xiaomi returned to fourth place, capturing 8 percent global smartphone marketshare in Q1 2019, broadly at the same level from a year ago. Xiaomi is very strong in India, but it is struggling in China. OPPO held fifth position with 8 percent global smartphone marketshare during the quarter, rising from 7 percent a year earlier. OPPO is now expanding hard into Western Europe, with new models like the Reno 5G, and this should help OPPO’s worldwide presence to improve in the coming months.”