Global iPhone Shipments Up 10% in 2020 Compared to Previous Year

Apple bucked a trend as falling global smartphone shipments in 2020 by increasing its shipment rate by over 10% compared to the previous year, claims a new report.

iphone 11 and 11 pro no background
According to DigiTimes Research, global smartphone shipments suffered an overall 8.8% decline to 1.24 billion units last year, due in part to the crippling effects of the health crisis.

Despite that, however, worldwide shipments of 5G-enabled smartphones reached as high as 280-300 million units in 2020, up from the 20 million units shipped a year earlier, indicating a surge in demand for the faster data speed.

In the first quarter of 2020, global shipments "dove over 20% on year in the first quarter of 2020, fell by a double-digit rate in the second, and narrowed the decline to a single digit in the third, before staging a single-digit rebound in the fourth," according to the DigiTimes' figures.

Samsung and Huawei felt the impact worst over the course of the year, both seeing their shipments dip by a double-digit rate. Out of the top six smartphone brands in 2020, only Apple and Xiaomi managed to ramp up their shipments compared to 2019.

According to research conducted by Omdia, Apple's iPhone 11 was the most-shipped smartphone in the first half of 2020 and was the single most popular handset last year. Apple shipped an estimated 37.7 million ‌‌iPhone‌ 11‌ units in 2020 – 10.8 million more units than last year's top-selling model, the ‌iPhone‌ XR.

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Top Rated Comments

DelayedGratificationGene Avatar
50 months ago
The Apple positives just keep piling up. Never seen so many “Apple just keeps crushin it” reports.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
arrowmouse Avatar
50 months ago
I doubt 5G is a selling feature for most, people are just buying the latest phones which happen to have it rather than it "indicating a surge in demand for the faster data speed". My LTE is already >150Mbps. 3G enabled mobile web, 4G gave us HD video/large games, seems 5G is more of a backend update that won't have many new consumer features.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DelayedGratificationGene Avatar
50 months ago

Pan. Demic.
No u missed it. Apple “bucked” the Pan Demic. Smartphone shipments dropped because of the pan but Apple STILL was able to grow sales
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
The Game 161 Avatar
50 months ago

of course...iphone SE, iphone mini, a lot of discounts....iphones everywhere at every prince point now
at a guess I don't think the SE and mini is why it's up to much to be honest.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lazyrighteye Avatar
50 months ago
Pan. Demic.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Baymowe335 Avatar
50 months ago

Pan. Demic.
You didn’t read the article.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)