Xiaomi's global smartphone sales surpassed Apple's in August 

In the smartphone industry, most people take it for granted that Samsung and Apple will always occupy the top two spots in the global sales rankings. However, there are times when an “outsider” manages to take over a position in the top 2. Xiaomi did just that in August, becoming the second-biggest smartphone maker and pushing Apple to third place.

Things seem to be going well for Xiaomi lately, so much so that it has been able to repeat a milestone it hasn’t achieved since August 2021. Counterpoint Research’s latest market analysis places the Chinese giant in second place in the global phone sales charts for August. As expected, Samsung remains in the top spot with strong shipments of its devices.

Xiaomi becomes the second-biggest smartphone maker in the world in August 2024

According to the report, there were some internal and external factors that contributed to Xiaomi’s milestone. Regarding internal moves, Xiaomi slightly tweaked its device launch strategy. The company has been releasing fewer models than before for each segment. In addition, it has bet heavily on the premium segment with attractive high-end devices, which has captured the attention of the public that usually buys this type of product.

Currently, the company offers some of the best “camera phones” and foldable devices on the market. So, mobile photography enthusiasts can have Xiaomi among their top options when switching smartphones. The Xiaomi Mix Fold is also expected to hit the global market in the coming weeks. Xiaomi, like other Chinese brands, integrates more risky innovations than the Galaxy Z Fold lineup in its foldables. Therefore, there is a lot of expectation and interest among the most tech-savvy.

In some markets where Xiaomi is traditionally strong, sales have stagnated. However, the company compensated for this by growing in Latin America through strong promotions. Sales of devices in the sub-$200 range continue to stand out over other price segments in Xiaomi’s catalog.

The usual drop in iPhone sales every August also helped

There is another factor that led Xiaomi to become the second-biggest smartphone maker in August 2024. However, this factor is cyclical and not under the company’s control. We are talking about the usual drop in iPhone sales every August. Apple usually releases new iPhone generations in September, so sales of older models suffer due to the anticipation of future ones.

It is possible that Apple will regain the second (or even first) spot once the iPhone 16 series hits stores. However, it is not a certainty, as a recent report revealed lower than expected demand for the iPhone 16 Pro. Anyway, no matter what happens, Xiaomi’s milestone is still commendable.