Huawei surpasses Apple as 'world's second-biggest smartphone maker'

Huawei has overtaken Apple Inc. as  the world's second biggest smartphone maker in terms of sales. Huawei surpassed Apple in sales for June and July, breaking the duopoly enjoyed by Apple and Samsung for at least five years according to figures from Counterpoint Research.

Apple has moved to third place, a position it hasn't seen since the heyday of BlackBerry and Nokia. Apple has held one of the top two spots since 2010 after unseating BlackBerry and later on Nokia, companies that are no longer considered serious platforms and merely serve as Android OEMs today.

Huawei's reign, however, is expected to be short as Apple is planning its biggest iPhone release in years starting next week. With multiple models expected to hit the market, the company is expected to rally in terms of sales even as initial supplies are expected to be constrained. 

“This is a significant milestone for Huawei, the largest Chinese smartphone brand with a growing global presence,” Counterpoint’s Peter Richardson said.

Huawei is not that popular in North America as it usually saturates entry-level and pre-paid segments of the market. The company has, however, tried to release competitive handsets with more upscale design and features. Huawei is popular in its home country of China, Europe, The Middle East and Latin America. 

Source: The Telegraph