Huawei passes Microsoft as the third largest mobile phone vendor

At seven percent of total marketshare, Huawei is now the third largest mobile phone manufacturer by volume, according to a new report from Strategy Analytics, a research and consultancy firm based out of the United Kingdom and United States. In the period between April and June, the Chinese smartphone maker moved 30.6-million mobile devices, which represents an almost 50 per cent increase over the same period last year.

Perhaps more significant is the fact that Huawei’s growth came at the expense of competitors like Microsoft and Xiaomi.

Microsoft, in particular, is hurting. Compared to the 50.3-million mobile phones the company shipped at this time last year, it only managed to move 27.8-million units during Q2 2015. Much of this has to do with the fact that a significant number of the devices Microsoft shipped were feature phones, and that the market for those devices continues to contract; smartphones represented eight out of 10 mobiles devices shipped last quarter.

Whatever the reason, the result is that company’s share of the market dropped to 6 per cent. Worse still, according to Strategy Analytics, is the fact that Microsoft’s command of the market is now approaching an all-time low. With the distinct possibility that Windows 10 Mobile may miss its original Q3 launch date, Microsoft’s position in the mobile phone marketplace could deteriorate even further over the next several months.

Lastly, Strategy Analytics goes on to confirm a couple of things we’ve had already learned from an earlier IDC report.

Samsung and Apple continue to be the top players when it comes to smartphone shipments, though Samsung is losing ground. Despite shipping 71.9-million smartphones last quarter, the company’s marketshare actually dropped by 7 per cent. Apple, on the other hand, saw its share of the market increase to 10 per cent after moving 35 per cent more smartphones in Q2 2015 than in Q2 2014.

[source]Strategy Analytics[/source]