Q3 shipment data from multiple agencies has been released, with Xiaomi returning to the top three globally

On October 30, according to the latest data from Canalys, in the third quarter of 2020, global smartphone shipments reached 348 million units, a year-on-year decrease of 1%. But it increased by 22% from the previous quarter. Samsung regained its leading position, increasing by 2% to 80.2 million units. Huawei fell to second place, down 23% to 51.7 million units. Xiaomi took third place for the first time, reaching 47.1 million units, an increase of 45%.

Image source: Canalys

Apple, which did not release its flagship iPhone in September, shipped 43.2 million units, down 1%, while vivo rounded out the top five with 31.8 million units shipped. OPPO ranked sixth with 31.1 million units, while its sub-brand Realme ranked seventh with 15.1 million units, its highest ranking ever.

Counterpoint Research and IDC also released third-quarter shipment statistics. Although there are some gaps, Xiaomi's growth rate is the largest overall, surpassing Apple and ranking in the top three. Huawei's market share fell the most and was overtaken by Samsung.

Image source: Counterpoint

Image source: IDC

Xiaomi's third-quarter growth was driven by strong growth in India and continued strong growth in China, which accounted for 53% of the company's third-quarter shipments. In India, Xiaomi's production capacity has recovered to nearly 85% of pre-pandemic levels, helping to increase share.

In addition, Xiaomi's growth also benefited from Huawei's decline in shipments in the European market. Analysts pointed out that Huawei's shipments in Europe fell by 25%, while Xiaomi's shipments increased by 88%. But Xiaomi still faces competition from OPPO and vivo. Now OPPO and vivo are also entering Europe and will become premium options for operators, which may put Xiaomi in trouble. At the low-end price point, Realme is also becoming a strong competitor.