Samsung fell short of its smartphone shipment target last year due to the pandemic, related closures, and the economic conditions. For 2021, the company has set a target to ship over 300 million smartphones globally. However, a new report predicts that the South Korean firm might not be able to meet its targets.
According to TrendForce, Samsung might ship 267 million smartphones by the end of 2021. That is slightly higher than last year, but still not close to the company's targets. Moreover, the report also states that the South Korean tech titan's smartphone market share could drop from 21% in 2020 to 19% in 2021. Apple's market share could increase from 15% to 16%, while Xiaomi could see its market share rise from 11% to 14%. Due to sanctions against Huawei, its market share could drop from 13% to just 3%.
Chinese brands like Xiaomi, OPPO, and Vivo could fill the void left by Huawei and even grab some market from Samsung. OPPO's smartphone market share could increase from 11% to 13% and Vivo's market share could increase from 8% to 10%. Google and OnePlus are nowhere to be see in the top 7 list.
The whole smartphone market is expected to rebound this year. The report states that 5G would be the most important talking point in the smartphone industry in 2021, and market penetration could reach as high as 37% globally. However, chipset supply could be limited. Samsung is planning to launch more foldable and 5G smartphones this year, which might increase its average selling price.
