Xiaomi beats Apple to become second biggest smartphone brand, claims report – morningtidings

A report by market research firm suggests that Xiaomi has emerged as the second biggest smartphone brand in terms of shipments during Q2 2021. The Chinese tech giant leapfrogged Apple for the first time to record this feat. The report says there are several factors behind Xiaomi’s growth in the smartphone market.

How Xiaomi hit the second spot in the smartphone market

As per Canalys, Xiaomi is growing its overseas business rapidly. Ben Stanton, research manager, Canalys says that Xiaomi’s shipments “increased more than 300% in Latin America, 150% Africa and 50% in Western Europe.” The company, as per Stanton, “is now transforming its business model from challenger to incumbent, with initiatives such as channel partner consolidation and more careful management of older stock in the open market.”
Xiaomi’s pricing model also helped the company as it remains more of a mass market brand. The average selling price when compared with Samsung and Apple, its average selling price is around 40% and 75% cheaper respectively.
Having said that there won’t be another brand apart from Xiaomi that has so many smartphones in its portfolio that it sells on its global site. At last count, on the Xiaomi global website it had a whopping 60 different models being sold. On the India website, the number is less but still a remarkable 21 models. Compare that with Apple, which has ‘just’ 9 different models being sold on the website.

Top 5 smartphone brands in the world

Samsung continued to be the number one plater in the smartphone market as it share stood at 19%. Xiaomi was second with 17% market share whereas Apple slipped to third with 14% market share. The top 5 was rounded with Vivo and Oppo in fourth and fifth spot commanding almost identical 10% market share.