Due to the impact of the pandemic, global smartphone production plummeted significantly in 2020. According to the research data analyzed and published by Comprar Acciones, there was an 11% decline, sending total output to 1.25 billion units during the year. The figure is projected to increase by 9% in 2021 to 1.36 billion.

Based on a report from Canalys, global smartphone shipments fell by 7% from 1.37 billion in 2019 to 1.26 billion in 2020. Meanwhile, Gartner states that there will be an 11.4% increase in smartphone sales in 2021 to 1.5 billion units.

Huawei Shipments Tanked By 22% in 2020 to 188.5 Million Units

In 2021, the top six brands in terms of production will include Samsung, Apple, Xiaomi, Transsion, OPPO and Vivo. The six will account for at least 85% share of the global production total during the year.

Huawei will drop from the third spot to the seventh as a result of US sanctions and the spin-off of Honor as an independent brand. Its 5G smartphone production totaled 240 million units in 2020 and had a 19% penetration rate. It will increase to 500 million units and will have a 37% rate of penetration in 2021.

In Q4 2020, Apple beat Samsung in the number of smartphone shipments made worldwide. Its sales rose by 4% YoY to 81.8 million units while Samsung’s sales fell by 12% to 62 million.

Similarly, Apple’s market share rose from 21% to 23% while that of Samsung tanked from 19% to 17%.

For the full-year 2020, however, Samsung was the top brand with 255.6 million unit shipments, down by 14% YoY. Apple’s sales increased by 5% to 207.1 million units. Huawei was third with 188.5 million unit sales, dropping by 22%. Xiaomi had the largest increase, growing shipments by 19% to 149.6 million units.

Lastly, 5G smartphones will account for 35% of global sales in 2021. From total sales of 213.26 million in 2020, they are expected to increase to 538.53 million units.