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Xiaomi has managed to capture 17% of the smartphone market share after experiencing 83% year-on-year growth during 2021’s Q2. This now firmly places it above Apple at the number 2 spot, and only behind Samsung. The data comes from research firm Canalys and indicates that Apple only had 1% growth during the quarter.

Xiaomi, a Chinese company, still has some work to do to take the number 1 spot. Samsung has 19% of the market share at the moment, while Oppo and Vivo each hold 10% of the market share, to round off the top 5.

The journey

Oppo and Vivo had 28% and 27% market share growth respectively, showing that the Chinese smartphone makers can compete by leveraging their unique advantages. In a letter to employees, Xiaomi’s CEO Lei Jun described the momentous occasion as a ‘major victory’ of the company’s strategy.

In 2014, Q3, he said, the company took third place globally for the first time in its history. Unfortunately, he continued, the company ran into trouble and dropped out of the top 5. Since 2016, it underwent a comprehensive review and self-improvement, with enhanced product capabilities.

Keeping the position

Jun acknowledged the success by announcing that the company would expand its R&D team through the recruitment of 5,000 engineers by the end of 2021. The CEO also said that the company projects R&D expenses will exceed 13 billion yuan this year, compared to the almost 10 billion yuan it spent last year.

Xiaomi also released a sustainability report for 2020, where it detailed that there was a 60% decrease in plastic usage for Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro series packaging. It added that by the end of the year, it aims to achieve even more plastic reduction.