Global smartphone sales still in freefall

The global smartphone market remains in “freefall”, having experienced its sixth consecutive quarter of declining shipments during the first quarter, according to Canalys.

Total unit shipments fell 6.8% year-on-year to 313.9 million during the quarter, the lowest result in nearly five years, the research firm said.

Apple was the hardest hit of the big smartphone vendors, with iPhone shipments dropping 23.2% year-on-year to 40.2 million units, which marked the largest single quarter decline in the history of the iPhone.

But market leader Samsung also experienced a 10% decline in shipments to 71.5 million.

By contrast, Huawei had a strong performance during the quarter, with shipments growing 50.2% during the first quarter to 59.1 million.

Huawei has publicly set its sights on overtaking Samsung as the world’s top smartphone vendor by unit shipments by 2020, but it will not be an easy battle, the research firm said, with its chance of success hinging on its ability to take customers in the low to midrange price bands.