Photo = REUTERS
CNBC reported on the 28th (local time) that Huawei, a Chinese telecommunications equipment company, once ranked first in global smartphone shipments over Apple and Samsung. Due to US sanctions, smartphone shipments plummeted.
According to CNBC, Huawei’s global smartphone shipments in the fourth quarter of last year (October-December) totaled 33 million units. It was down 41% compared to the same period last year. According to market research firm Counterpoint Research, Huawei’s market share is 8%. This made it the 6th among global smartphone makers.
This is the first time Huawei has been pushed out of the 5th place in the last 6 years, according to the research company Canalis. Analyst Amber Liu Canalis said, “U.S. sanctions have made Huawei retreat sharply in most markets.”
Huawei shipped 55.8 million smartphones in the second quarter of last year (April to June), ranking first in the world. Samsung Electronics, which shipped 53.7 million units at the time, was second. Huawei’s total shipments in 2020 were ranked third in the world.
However, Apple’s offensive after a super cycle (great boom) is strong. In the fourth quarter of last year, Apple shipped 91.1 million smartphones, the largest ever. It also had the largest sales in China.
U.S. sanctions are pointed to as the biggest stumbling block for Huawei. The U.S. blacklisted Huawei in 2019 and prevented key parts and software from U.S. companies from entering Huawei. Even Android, Google’s smartphone operating system, was blocked, and Huawei was hit directly.
In May of last year, the US blocked transactions between Huawei and Taiwanese foundry company TSMC. This was to prevent Huawei, which does not have a semiconductor production facility, from entrusting TSMC with the production of semiconductors for 5th generation (5G) smartphones.
Huawei said, “Huawei has always been committed to innovation,” and said, “In 2020, the smartphone business has developed solidly, and the tablet PC and wearable device market has grown significantly.” “We are confident about the future,” he added.
Reporter Park Sang-yong [email protected]
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