(AFP) With the launch of the new 5G iPhones in the fall, Apple regained the lead in global smartphone sales in the fourth quarter of 2020, according to a recent study.
For the first time since the end of 2016, Apple has overtaken Samsung in quarterly cell phone sales, despite the significant slowdown in overall sales due to the pandemic.
Global sales decreased by 5.4% during the fourth quarter and 12.5% ​​in the whole year, mainly due to the decline in consumer expenditures.
However, a study published by the company "Gartner" indicated that "the launch of the iPhone, operating with fifth generation technology of 12 models helped Apple achieve double-digit growth during the fourth quarter of 2020."
The US electronics and technology giant sold 80 million smartphones in the fourth quarter of last year, compared to 70 million devices in the same period a year ago.
Its share of the global market increased from 17.1% to 20.8%.
The American group was ahead of its South Korean rival Samsung, which sold 62 million smartphones in the fourth quarter of 2020, followed by the three Chinese companies, Xiaomi (43.4 million), Oppo (34.3 million) and Huawei (34.3 million as well).
In annual sales, Samsung remains the world leader, even though its sales fell 14.6 percent to 253 million devices.
Apple ranks second in the world (200 million devices) ahead of Huawei, whose sales fell by 24.1%, especially as a result of US sanctions against it, according to Gartner.
The study indicated that "the effect of banning the use of Google applications on Huawei smartphones harmed Huawei’s performance and negatively affected its sales."
