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Apple sold the most 5G-ready phones in Q1, dislodging Samsung which fell to the fourth spot

By Anam Hamid

Updated: Jul 06, 2021, 3:23 AM

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Apple sold the most 5G-ready phones in Q1, dislodging Samsung which fell to the fourth spot

Samsung is no longer the world's top seller of 5G-ready smartphones, according to estimates from Strategy Analytics. It lost the spot to Apple in the first quarter of 2021 which introduced the iPhone 12 series, its first 5G-enabled smartphone range, in October last year. Apple's ascent to the top of the 5G leaderboard was already expected.

The South Korean giant slipped to the fourth position amid intensifying competition from rivals. The company saw its share in the 5G market decrease from 34.6 percent during a comparable period last year to 12.7 percent, despite sales of 17 million 5G smartphones in Q1 2021, an increase of 105 percent over the year-ago quarter.

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The 5G marker thrived during the quarter, with sales climbing 458 percent year on year to 133.9 million units. Robust demand in China, the iPhone 12 series, and affordable 5G models led the growth.

The iPhone 12 series did well in key markets

Apple sold 40.4 million 5G iPhones during Q1 2021 which earned it a market share of 30.2 percent. The new iPhones went on sale during Q4 2020 but sales of the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max didn't begin until November, which means Q1 2021 was the first full quarter for Apple's first 5G phones.

Strategy Analytics says that the handsets have been immensely popular in the US, China, and Europe because of their design and competitive pricing.

Overall iPhone sales increased 65.5 percent from a similar period last year during the second fiscal quarter and Apple has revealed that the standard and Pro iPhone 12 models performed very well. Apple's newest phones are among the best smartphones of the year.

Chinese smartphone makers snapped up Huawei's market share

Chinese brands benefited from Huawei's misfortunes. Oppo doubled its market share to 16.1 percent, which made it the second-largest player in the 5G segment. The company shipped 21.5 million 5G phones during the quarter. Its A55 5G and Reno 5 5G sold well in its home country during the first three months of the year.

Vivo's sales soared 646 percent relative to the same period last year. It was the third-largest seller with sales totaling 19.4 million units. Xiaomi was the fifth biggest vendor of 5G phones and saw shipments rise 564 percent year on year to 16.6 million units, per data from the analytics firm.

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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.