Xiaomi Becomes Number 1 Smartphone Vendor in Europe, Overtakes Samsung in Q2 2021: Strategy Analytics

Xiaomi has emerged as the number one smartphone vendor in Europe, as per the data shared by analyst firm Strategy Analytics. The Chinese company is said to have surpassed Samsung in terms of smartphone shipments in the second quarter of 2021 to become the market leader. Strategy Analytics noted that smartphone shipments in Europe grew 14 percent year-on-year to 50.1 million units in the quarter. Apple, Oppo, and Realme feature in the top-five vendors list — in that order — after Xiaomi and Samsung.

According to the report by Strategy Analytics, Xiaomi shipped a record 12.7 million smartphone units in Europe in the second quarter that resulted in its market share of 25.3 percent. The firm said that the vendor saw high demand in countries including Russia, Ukraine, Spain, and Italy.

In addition to the European market, Xiaomi has continued to grow in global smartphone shipments. A recent report by IDC said that the Beijing-based company overtook Apple and came second in worldwide smartphone shipments in the second quarter.

Unlike Xiaomi, Strategy Analytics' report shows that Samsung shipments declined seven percent year-on-year to 12 million units in the second quarter. The South Korean giant, however, continued its strong grip in the continent, with a 24 percent market share.

“Samsung is performing well with new 5G models from the Galaxy A series, but it faces increasing competition from Apple in the high-end and the Chinese vendors in the low-end, and it has failed to take full advantage of Huawei's demise in Europe,” Strategy Analytics noted.

After Samsung, Apple came third in the top five smartphone shipments list. The iPhone maker saw 15.7 percent year-on-year growth in Europe in the second quarter. Its estimated shipment of 9.6 million iPhone models helped the company grab a market share of 19.2 percent. The iPhone 12 series is believed to have attracted Apple fans in the region, who were overdue to replace their aging Apple models.

Oppo and Realme were the two remaining players in the top five list. While Oppo marked a 180 percent year-on-year growth, its sibling Realme received an even stronger year-on-year growth of 1,800 percent. However, both companies weren't able to capture a double-digit market share in Europe.

The data released by Strategy Analytics shows that Oppo captured a 5.6 percent share with 2.8 million smartphone shipments, whereas Realme managed to ship 1.9 million units that helped it acquire a 3.8 percent share.

Top five smartphone vendors in Europe in Q2 2021 (as per Strategy Analytics)

Overall, smartphone shipments in Europe declined from 59.1 million units in the first quarter to 50.1 million. The dip in the shipments also decreased the year-on-year growth from 24 percent to 14 percent and resulted in a negative quarter-on-quarter growth of minus 15 percent.