Canalys: In the fourth quarter of 2021, Apple regained the global smartphone market

According to a report released by Canalys, Apple accounted for 22% of global smartphone shipments in the fourth quarter of 2021 due to strong consumer demand for the iPhone 13. But total shipments rose only 1 percent in the fourth quarter as suppliers faced supply chain issues and the impact of a resurgence of COVID-19. Samsung ranked second, slipping from the top spot in the third quarter of 2021 with a market share of 20%. Xiaomi is still in third place with a market share of 12%. OPPO and vivo both entered the top five, with market shares of 9% and 8%, respectively.

Canalys analyst Sanyam Chaurasia said: "Driven by the excellent performance of the iPhone 13, Apple is back at the top of the smartphone market after three quarters. Apple's iPhone has never performed Chinese mainland before, with aggressive pricing of its flagship products keeping its value proposition strong. Apple's supply chain is beginning to recover, but due to shortages of key components, it still had to cut production in the fourth quarter, so it cannot produce enough iPhones to meet market demand. In priority markets, Apple is able to maintain proper delivery times, while in some markets, customers have to wait a long time to get their hands on the latest iPhone. ”

Nicole Peng, vice president of mobile business at Canalys, said: "Supply chain issues are having the greatest impact on low-end vendors. Component makers are doing their best to increase production, but it will take years for major foundries to significantly increase chip capacity. Smartphone brands are changing their thinking to make the most of their own conditions, adjusting device specifications to existing materials, engaging emerging chipmakers to secure new sources of integrated circuit supply, focusing product lines on the best-selling models, and staggering the release of new products. These practices can provide advantages for big brands, and these benefits can persist in the short term, as supply bottlenecks will not be alleviated until the second half of 2022. ”