Xiaomi Becomes World's 2nd Largest Smartphone Manufacturer

Xiaomi was able to outgrow almost everyone else, including Apple.

Xiaomi has established itself as a legitimate smartphone heavyweight. According to Canalys, in the second quarter of 2021, the Chinese tech giant surpassed Apple as the world’s second-largest phone brand, with a market share of 17%, up 83 percent year over year. Not only did the business surpass Apple (14 percent) to take second place, but it also outperformed BBK-owned Chinese rivals Oppo and Vivo, which both had 10%. Samsung maintained its lead with 19 percent, although there isn’t much of a disparity.

As you could expect, pricing was the deciding factor. Xiaomi’s average selling costs are far lower than Samsung’s (40%) and Apple’s (75%), and even flagships like the Mi 11 are reasonably priced. Xiaomi’s remarkable worldwide expansion, which included a 300 percent increase in Latin America, a 150 percent increase in Africa, and a 50 percent increase in Western Europe, may have been aided by this. And, unlike its defunct competitor Huawei, Xiaomi’s future is not clouded by a US blacklisting.

Xiaomi’s dominance isn’t guaranteed. Because it is nearing the conclusion of each iPhone’s release cycle, Apple’s second-quarter has typically been sluggish. Canalys also mentions that Oppo and Vivo aren’t standing still, with their own ambitions for global supremacy. Xiaomi will need phones like the Mi 11 Ultra and Mi Mix Fold to break out from its low-cost reputation if it is to break free from its low-cost image.

Even if it’s only for a short time, a second-place finish would be significant. Xiaomi has long had a strong presence in China, but it has had a much more difficult time gaining foreign exposure. It’s now big enough to compete with behemoths like Samsung and Apple; the only question now is whether Xiaomi can take the lead.