Huawei beats Samsung in global smartphone market

SEOUL, June 30 (UPI) -- China's Huawei defeated Samsung Electronics in the global smartphone market in April and May, according to a research firm.

Counterpoint Research announced in its monthly report Monday that Huawei accounted for 19.7 percent of the world smartphone market in May, surpassing Samsung Electronics' 19.6 percent.

Apple came in third, with 13 percent, followed by three Chinese players: Oppo, Xiaomi and Vivo.

Huawei carved out 21.4 percent of the market in April and blew past Samsung -- whose share was 19.1 percent -- for the first time ever.

Samsung failed to return to the top spot in May, but managed to reduce the gap thanks to its solid performance in India, where smartphone sales are starting to recover.

Counterpoint Research also pointed out that Huawei topped sales in April and May because of an overall recovery in China, which resumed economic activities early on by reeling in the coronavirus.

Huawei's market share in China alone is 47 percent.

Samsung could retake the number one slot in the coming months.

"The global smartphone market shows signs of recovery. Unless a second wave of the virus pandemic strikes the world again, this trend is expected to continue," Counterpoint Research official Lee Yoon-jung told UPI News Korea.

"Based on a recovery in sales in areas such as India and Central and South American countries, Samsung is projected to see its sales rise again," Lee said.