H The global mobile market is now in recession, according to the latest Strategy Analytics survey, which is confirmed by IDC (International Data Corporation). These are the two most reliable companies in the field, which have just presented their reports for the third quarter of 2018.
Their numbers differ slightly, but the overall results are the same. Global phone shipments once again appear to be in recession, by about 6-8% compared to the previous corresponding quarter of 2017, a figure that corresponds to about 355-360 million devices. This is the fourth consecutive quarter of recession for a market that has seen unprecedented growth over the past decade and now analysts are beginning to doubt any change.
However, not all manufacturers show common results. To be precise, Huawei and Xiaomi see an increase of 32% and 20% respectively compared to last year's numbers. This allowed Huawei to overtake Apple for the second consecutive quarter by a difference of about 5 million units between them.
Samsung currently has a strong lead over Huawei and Apple, but its sales have been hit hard and the recession is now a serious problem. This is a huge reduction on an annual basis by 13% in terms of shipments, but also a reduction of share from 22% to 20%.
While Samsung did not succeed in all categories, Huawei seems to have succeeded in both the highest and most economical categories, including Honor mid-range devices and its new "P" flagships. The next quarter will definitely be even more exciting for the company, as it will include the successful launch of the Mate 20 series.
