Apple Falls Behind Xiaomi In Q3 Smartphone Shipments, Reports Say

Apple has surpassed various companies, including Microsoft, to become the most valuable firm in the world in terms of market capitalization, recent reports reveal. This distinction, however, doesn’t mean it ships the most number of smartphones to consumers in various markets globally.

Three different reports from the International Data Corporation, Counterpoint Research and Canalys show that Apple has fallen to the fourth spot for smartphone shipments in the third quarter of 2020 among the biggest mobile phone makers in the world.

This is a first for Apple, which has always sat in third place behind Samsung and Huawei – two tech giants known to sell large quantities of handsets every year.

Surprisingly, the Cupertino-based tech giant, known for its high-end and expensive iPhones, was overtaken by Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi, which enjoys massive consumer support in its native country and India. Xiaomi is now ranked third behind Samsung and Huawei, which sit in first and second place, respectively.

How?

The three reports give varying numbers but generally say the same thing when it comes to the four tech companies.

The IDC noted that Xiaomi shipped 46.5 million devices globally in Q32020, significantly more than the 41.6 million iPhones Apple shipped to all markets around the world during the same period. This led to the Chinese company’s 13.1% market share, which is also bigger than the 11.8% share the iPhone maker occupies.

Counterpoint Research, on the other hand, said Xiaomi shipped 46.2 million devices in Q32020, higher than the 41.7 million units Apple shipped to all locations globally. This led to the Asian company’s 13% market share, which is higher than the Cupertino tech company’s 11%.

Lastly, Canalys reported that Xiaomi shipped 47.1 devices globally, definitely more than the 43.2 million iPhone units Apple shipped to all markets. These numbers meant Xiaomi now enjoys a 13.5% share in the market, while Apple only has 12.4%.

As mentioned, the numbers differ, but they all say the same thing: Xiaomi has overtaken Apple in terms of device shipments to markets across the globe. This is a huge win for the Asian smartphone maker.