It accounted 14 per cent of all smartphone shipments in the region compared to Apple’s 15 per cent, with Canalys claiming it is now ready to wrestle away second position from its rival
Huawei has closed the gap on nearest rival Apple in EMEA after seeing shipments there surge by 70 per cent to over 10 million units.
This is according to the latest figures revealed by Canalys, which said it is the first time the Chinese manufacturer has achieved shipments of this size in a single quarter.
Huawei accounted for 14 per cent of smartphone shipments in the region, behind Apple’s 15 per cent and Samsung’s 37 per cent.
According to Canalys, it has already shipped just over 26 million smartphones in EMEA this year, exceeding its total from 2015, with the busy holiday season yet to come.
It added the manufacturer remains a key player in developing markets within the Middle East and Africa, where its low end devices are helping to increase smartphone penetration.
However, its recent momentum has been from within Europe, where it grew 33 per cent from the previous quarter to ship nearly seven million units.
Rival to Apple and Samsung
The analyst concluded its focus on improving design has helped it displace the likes of Sony, LG and HTC while its mid-range and premium devices, such as the P9, have allowed it to consolidate this position, priming it to wrestle Apple for the number two spot in EMEA next year.
Canalys research analyst Ben Stanton said: “Huawei is becoming much smarter in Europe. It used to focus on price-to-performance ratio. This was a good disruptive strategy at the time, which helped it exploit falling operator subsidies, and the shift toward open-market channels such as e-commerce. But it has now evolved to become a major smart phone brand and innovator in its own right.
“Huawei’s focus this year has been on premium design and branding, with a series of celebrity endorsement deals, as well as product partnerships with the likes of Leica and Porsche Design. It is clearly trying to break away from its past, and create a brand to rival Apple and Samsung.”
