Strategy Analytics reports that Apple shipped 70.7 million units during Q4 beating its Q4 2018 numbers by 4.8 million.
The title of the world’s largest smartphone vendor for Q4 2019 has gone back to Apple. iPhone sales were up for the company in Q4 with some attributing that to more aggressive iPhone 11 pricing. iPhone sales saw a respectable increase in Asia and North America.
Strategy Analytics reports that Apple shipped 70.7 million units during Q4 beating its Q4 2018 numbers by 4.8 million. Samsung, who is generally Apple’s largest competition, pulled nicely into second place with 68.8 million units sold. So while iPhone sales are indeed up, Samsung isn’t lagging that far behind by any stretch.
Surprisingly, Strategy Analytics reports that Huawei came in third with 56 million units sold. Although the report also says the company’s shipments are down 7% due to a slowdown in China and tougher competition overseas and in Europe.
Xiaomi came in fourth, with success in Western Europe and a steady performance in India contributing to shipments of 33 million, 7 million higher than Q4 2018. Oppo rounded out the top five by shipments on 30.5 million units, a dip from 31.5 million in the 2018 period.
Total shipments in the quarter of 374.5 million units were down from 376 million in Q4 2018.
The pattern was similar across the full year, with 1.41 billion units shipped down marginally on 1.43 billion in 2018, with “sharp declines” in China balanced by strong growth in emerging markets in Africa and India.
Strategy Analytics noted Samsung maintained its leading position in full year shipments on 295.1 million units, followed by Huawei (240.5 million); Apple (197.4 million); Xiaomi (124.8 million); and Oppo (115.1 million).
It really doesn’t surprise us that iPhone sales are up and that Apple has narrowly taken the top spot. The flip-flop between Samsung and Apple happens all the time and it’s usually only by a few million units that they’re separated. I suppose it comes down to bragging rights for these companies which is understandable.