Samsung closes in on Xiaomi in global 5G Android race

According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, Xiaomi’s global 5G smartphone shipments growth stalled in Q3 2021. Samsung continued to grow its share of 5G smartphone shipments. Honor led as shipments growth leader.

“Samsung edged ahead of OPPO to become the second leading Android 5G smartphone vendor globally in Q3 2021” says Ville Petteri-Ukonaho, associate director at Strategy Analytics. “Samsung has returned to positive territory following three prior quarters of negative sequential shipment growth. Samsung is benefiting from healthy demand across multiple regions for its smartphones, powered by a broad portfolio of devices across multiple price tiers. The combination of leading technology such as foldable display smartphones and multiple 5G devices have made Samsung products, such as its premium Galaxy Z Flip 3, the S21 Ultra and its affordable A-series, the second-most popular brand of Android 5G smartphones globally in Q3 2021.”

“Honor was the fastest-growing Android 5G smartphone brand QoQ in Q3 2021,” says Yiwen Wu, associate director at Strategy Analytics. “Honor 5G smartphones are rapidly increasing in popularity in China. Honor was formerly a sub-brand of Huawei but was spun out as an independent company earlier in the year. The company’s 50 5G, 50 SE 5G and 50 Pro 5G were its leading 5G smartphones in Q3 2021.”

“Xiaomi, which recorded dramatic growth in global 5G smartphone shipments in 2Q 2021, saw that growth stall in Q3 2021, with shipment growth flat sequentially in the most recent quarter,” says Ken Hyers, director at Strategy Analytics. “Samsung’s resurgence blunted Xiaomi’s ability to grow in Europe in Q3 2021, while OPPO surged in China. Facing a combined one-two punch from Samsung outside of China and OPPO in China, Xiaomi saw demand for its 5G smartphones slow considerably in Q3 2021.”