By Emmanuel Oluebube, Correspondent UK

Xiaomi shipped 46.5 million devices to grab the number 3 position globally, beating Apple for the first time with 13.1 per cent share and 42.0 per cent growth. This is due to strong gains in India and a continued strong presence in China, which accounted for 53 per cent of the company’s volume in 3Q20. In India, Xiaomi’s production capacity recovered to nearly 85 per cent of its pre-pandemic level, which helped it cater to strong demand. Xiaomi’s low-end portfolio, particularly the Redmi 9 Series, did well in both India and China. Xiaomi also launched the mid-range Redmi K30 Ultra and high-end MI 10 Ultra in China, which further captured consumers’ attention.

Apple shipped 41.6 million iPhones in 3Q20, down 10.6 per cent year over year, which placed the company in fourth for the first time with 11.8 per cent share. This drop was expected and is mainly due to the delay in the launch of the new iPhone 12 series, which is usually in the third quarter. Regardless, the iPhone 11 series did exceptionally well, contributing the majority of Apple’s volume, followed by the SE device. Looking ahead, we expect Apple to grow in coming quarters with strong early demand for iPhone 12 paired with robust trade-in offers across major carriers, especially in the vivo returned to the Top 5 this quarter with 31.5 million units shipped for 4.2 per cent year-over-year growth and 8.9 per cent market share. Although the company is trying to grow its presence in other markets, India delivered massive growth of nearly 30 per cent year over year in its low-end models under US$200. In China, the brand enhanced the market positions of its S, iQOO, and X series phones that helped continue its strong presence there.