Global smartphone sales rose more than 10% in the second quarter, totaling 328.8 million units, as demand for 5G-compatible devices offset production disruptions and component shortages. This is shown by recent Gartner data according to an article by Kavit Majithia published by Mobile World Live.
According to Gartner, sales to end users increased 10.8% year-over-year from 296.9 million in the second quarter of last year. A second wave of coronavirus caused factory closures in India and Vietnam, retail closures and restrictions on online delivery, which affected sales in the last quarter after a strong start to the year, but 5G penetration is high and there was also high demand for phones compatible with that connectivity technology, such as those from Xiaomi, whose global sales surpassed those of Apple and placed it in second place with a growth of 80.5% (51 million). Apple sales increased 28.3% (49.3 million) and in 5G markets demand for the iPhone 12 series remained.
The information adds that Samsung expanded its 5G ranges to entry and mid-range prices, targeting demand for next-generation connectivity and recording sales of 57.7 million units compared to 54.8 million in the second quarter of 2020.