Huawei Has Samsung In Its Sights As It Eyes Global Smartphone Top Spot

Huawei is currently the second biggest producer of smartphones in the world

Chinese tech giant, Huawei, is aiming to become the world’s most prolific smartphone producer by the end of 2020, according to senior company representatives.

Having recently surpassed Apple to become the world’s second biggest smartphone producer, Huawei now has Samsung in its sights as it aims to become the world’s biggest handset producer.

“Next year, we will be very close to number one, maybe we will be on par with Samsung. And at least the year after, maybe we have a chance (to be number one), [by the end of] the year 2020,” Richard Yu, the CEO of Huawei’s Consumer Division, told CNBC in a recent interview.

A report issued by the International Data Corporation shows that Huawei produced 54 million handsets in the second quarter of 2018, an increase of 41 per cent on last year’s figures.

Samsung produced 71.5 million handsets during the same period, whilst Apple was relegated to 3rd place, producing only 41 million units.

Huawei still has some way to go if it is to reel in its South Korean competitor, but market conditions are perfectly poised for Huawei to continue its exponential growth. Earlier this year, Samsung announced that it was considering closing one of its main production facilities in Tianjin, China, as it anticipated a drop in demand for its handsets in the coming 18 months.

“The overall smartphone market is having difficulties due to slowing growth. Samsung Electronics’ Tianjin telecom enterprise aims to focus on activities that increase competitiveness and efficiency,” the company said in a statement to the press.

Huawei has confirmed that it intends to launch a 5G compliant handset, featuring a highly anticipated foldable screen, in the second quarter of 2019. – Total Telecom