Global smartphone shipments decreased by 20.4% overall in Q2 2020 compared to Q2 2019 according to new research from analyst firm Gartner.
Samsung, the smartphone maker who sells the most phones worldwide, saw the greatest sales decline of 27.1%.
It means Samsung told almost 55 million phones in Q2 2020, with the launch of the S20 series earlier in the year unable to stop the downward trend in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
That decline means Huawei has practically caught Samsung to tie it at number one for worldwide sales. Huawei only saw a 6.8% drop in year over year sales thanks to continued strong sales in its home country of China where brand loyalty remains high.
China also has not seen the extended lockdown rules the rest of the world has, despite the virus originating there.
“The improved situation in China saw demand recovering quarter- over-quarter,” said Anshul Gupta, senior research director at Gartner. “Travel restrictions, retail closures and more prudent spending on nonessential products during the pandemic led to the second consecutive quarterly decline in smartphone sales this year.”
Apple saw a very flat patter in its sales with just 0.4% decline year over year. The company’s recent flirtation with a US$2tn market cap is proof that its brand recognition remains strong and that people continue to view the iPhone as an essential purchase no matter the global economic situation.
“The improved business environment in China helped Apple achieve growth in the country,” explained Annette Zimmermann, research vice president at Gartner.
“In addition, the introduction of the new iPhone SE encouraged users of older phones upgrade their smartphones.”
Author: Henry Burrell, Phones Editor
Henry is Tech Advisor’s Phones Editor, ensuring he and the team covers and reviews every smartphone worth knowing about for readers and viewers all over the world. He spends a lot of time moving between different handsets and shouting at WhatsApp to support multiple devices at once.