(RTTNews) – Huawei Technologies led worldwide as the world’s largest smartphone seller this quarter, leaving Samsung behind, according to generation market analytics company Canalys.
China’s telecom giant shipped 55.8 million devices in the last quarter, 5% less than last year, while sales by market leader Samsung fell 30 percent to 53.7 million over last year, affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Huawei has focused on the domestic market since U.S. government restrictions. And lately he’s been selling 70% of his smartphones in mainland China. With the help of China’s early recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, Huawei could generate an 8% expansion in smartphone sales in the domestic market this quarter. However, its shipments abroad fell 27% in the quarter.
“Samsung has a very small presence in China, with less than 1% market share, and has seen its core markets, such as Brazil, India, the United States, and Europe, ravaged by outbreaks and subsequent lockdowns,” said Canalys Senior Analyst Ben Stanton.
The U.S had imposed a ban on Huawei products citing security reasons saying the company has close ties with the Chinese Communist Party and China’s military forces. In May this year, President Trump extended the ban till May 2021 and has been pressing its allies to stand up for their national security by boycotting the company.
European countries, key markets of the Chinese smartphone manufacturer, are divided against the Chinese company. Earlier this month, the UK will ban the purchase of devices manufactured through Huawei from 31 December 2020, and all existing Huawei devices will be removed from its 5G network until the end of 2027. Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, RomaniaArray and Sweden have already joined the league to ban Huawei from long-term 5G networks.
However, countries such as Belgium have stated that they have not discovered any evidence that Huwei is using his espionage apparatus. Canada has not given any transparent indication of its goal of registering for its other 4 members, adding to Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States, in the 5-member intellillegenc alliance, The Five Eyes (FVEY), Huawei Technologies.