Huawei could top Apple in Q3 handset shipments

A report published today forecasts that Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei will ship more handsets than Apple for the calendar third quarter, which ends at the end of September. Huawei has already stated that it has its sights set on eventually topping Samsung and Apple by 2021 to become the number one smartphone manufacturer in the world. Huawei's supply chain says that the company expects sales of its P-series and M-series models to do well during Q3, along with its lower-end Honor branded phones.

During the third quarter, Huawei could deliver more than 40 million units, up from the 38.5 million it shipped during the second quarter. At the same time, Apple iPhone shipments could decline from July through September. During that quarter, consumers are expected to hold off purchasing iPhone models until the new 2017 phones are unveiled  next month. For Apple's fiscal third quarter (which ran from April through the end of June), the company delivered 41.3 million handsets,  a small improvement measured year-over-year.

At the end of the calendar second quarter, Huawei owned an 11.3% market share of the global smartphone market. Apple's 12% share gives it a lead over Huawei totaling approximately 2.5 million units.  With iPhone buyers expected to be retrenching in the calendar third quarter, the period from July through September will give Huawei its best opportunity to take over second place from Apple in the global smartphone market,.

source: Digitimes