Xiaomi surpassed Samsung as Europe's top smartphone brand in Q2 2021

Samsung "failed to take advantage of Huawei's demise" in Europe.

What you need to know

• The latest research from Strategy Analytics claims Xiaomi was the top smartphone vendor in Europe in Q2 2021.
• Xiaomi reportedly captured a 25% market share with a strong 67.1% YoY growth in shipments.
• Samsung's smartphone shipments, on the other hand, declined 7% YoY.

Xiaomi overtook Samsung to become the top smartphone vendor in Europe in the second quarter of 2021, according to the latest research from Strategy Analytics. Xiaomi's smartphone shipments in the old continent grew by an impressive 67.1% YoY to reach 12.7 million units in the April to June quarter. The continued economic recovery and strong demand from consumers helped the European smartphone market achieve a string 14% YoY growth to 50 million units in the second quarter.

Samsung, which led the European smartphone market until Q1 2021, shipped 12 million phones in Europe in the second quarter, down 7% compared to the same period a year earlier. Apple held the third spot with a market share of 19.2%. Rounding out the top five were BBK-owned brands OPPO and Realme.

It isn't just Europe where Xiaomi is seeing impressive growth. According to Canalys, Xiaomi's global market share stood at 17% in Q2 2021, only 2% lower than Samsung. While Samsung's global smartphone shipments only saw a 15% YoY growth, Xiaomi saw a much higher 83% growth. The massive growth doesn't come as a surprise, since Xiaomi phones offer fantastic value. Although there's no doubt that Samsung makes some of the best Android phones, its devices cannot compete with rivals from Xiaomi when it comes to sheer value.

Currently, the only major smartphone market where Xiaomi doesn't have a presence is the U.S. In case that changes, it could become nearly impossible for Samsung to hold on to its title of the world's biggest smartphone maker.

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