Huawei, Lenovo poised to close gap with smartphone leaders

Huawei Technologies and Lenovo are expected to intensify competition in the global smartphone market after both companies recorded strong unit shipment growth last year.

Data released yesterday by technology research firm IDC showed the two Chinese technology giants captured a combined 9.4 per cent market share last year, when total industry shipments topped 1 billion units for the first time.

Huawei, the telecommunications industry's second-biggest equipment manufacturer, maintained its No3 position with 48.8 million smartphones shipped last year, while Lenovo, the world's largest supplier of personal computers, finished in the No5 spot with 45.5 million units.

Samsung Electronics remained the smartphone market leader last year, followed by Apple. LG Electronics was ranked fourth.

IDC credited Hong Kong-listed Lenovo with the highest year-on-year increase in smartphone shipments, at 91.7 per cent, among the world's top-five suppliers last year, despite having no smartphone distribution in North America and Western Europe. "The company's strength lies in its strong presence within key emerging markets and a well-segmented product portfolio spanning from simple, affordable smartphones to full-featured 5-inch screen models," IDC said. "Should the company become successful at branching into more developed markets in 2014, it could challenge Huawei for the number three spot."

Lenovo has announced plans to expand smartphone sales into at least 20 more markets this year after initially making its devices available in mainland China, Russia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia and India.