Samsung overtakes Apple in smartphone shipments as Xiaomi closes in

Samsung overtakes Apple in smartphone shipments as Xiaomi closes in

The Samsung Galaxy S20, S20+ and S20 Ultra 5G smartphones are seen during Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2020 in San Francisco, California, U.S. February 11, 2020.

SamsungElectronics Co Ltd reclaimed its crown as the world's biggestsmartphonemaker fromApplein the first quarter, cornering a fifth of overall globalshipments.

China'sXiaomiCorp rounded out the top three positions with its best quarterly performance ever asshipmentssurged 62 per centto 49 million phones and its market share rose to 14 per cent, market research firm Canalys said.

Overall, globalshipmentssurged 27per centto 347 million units in the first quarter as the Chinese economy opened up after the pandemic and a swift vaccine rollout in the United States raised hopes of an economic recovery.

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South Korea'sSamsungshipped 76.5 millionsmartphones in the quarter to grab a 22per centshare of the market, Canalys said. The company on Thursday reported a 66per centsurge in quarterly profit in its mobiles business, thanks to robust sales of its flagship Galaxy S21smartphoneseries.

Canalys saidAppleshipped 52.4 million iPhones in the January-March period, falling to the second spot with a 15 per centshare of the market.

Applestill grabbed record market share in the United States, China, India and Japan, Counterpoint analyst Varun Mishra said, adding that the iPhone Pro Max was a top seller in the United States.

Smartphonesales have surged over the past year as people stayed and worked from home. But the shopping frenzy has fuelled a global shortage in semiconductor chips that has roiled industries including autos and large appliances.

"Supply of critical components, such as chipsets, has quickly become a major concern, and will hindersmartphoneshipmentsin the coming quarters," Canalys analyst Ben Stanton said.

Applesaid on Wednesday that the chip shortage could cost the company $3 billion to $4 billion in revenue in the April-June quarter, affecting primarily iPads and Macbooks.

March-quartersmartphoneshipmentsfor China's Oppo and Vivo brands also surged, Canalys said. But Huawei, the former No. 1 that remains shackled by U.S. sanctions, took only seventh place after selling its Honor brand last year.