Xiaomi overtakes Apple as no. 2 smartphone maker
Fri, July 16, 2021, 6:23 AM
Xiaomi has overtaken Apple as the world's number two maker of smartphones.
That's according to analysis by researchers at Canalys.
The Chinese brand took 17% of the market for smartphones in the second quarter.
That put it ahead of Apple's 14%, and just behind leader Samsung, which was on 19%.
Unit sales don't tell the whole story though.
Canalys says Xiaomi phones are on average as much as 75% cheaper than handsets from its big two rivals.
It says growing sales of higher-end devices is thus the firm's big challenge for the year ahead.
Xiaomi's growth rate is hard to dispute, however.
The company's shipments jumped more than 300% in Latin America, 150% in Africa, and 50% in Europe.
XIAOMI FLAGSHIP PHONE IS THE Mi - 11
Although it's only 8.38mm thick, this is a huge phone, measuring 74.6mm wide and 164.3mm tall. The chassis accommodates a 6.81-inch AMOLED screen with minimal bezels -- the screen to body ratio is an impressive 91.2%. The front camera sits unobtrusively in a cut-out in the upper left corner.
It was impossible for me to reach across the screen one-handed, but then smaller screens give me the same problem so that usability factor is not in itself a deal breaker.
The screen's WQHD+ (1440 x 3200 pixels, 515ppi) resolution is, in fact, more of a deal-maker. Everything I did -- reading emails, social media and web pages, and watching video -- was extremely easy on the eye. The handset can automatically switch between full resolution and FHD+ (1800 x 2400) to save on battery power, you can opt for a 120Hz refresh rate for greater clarity, and the screen tops out at an exceptionally bright 1,700 nits. The Mi 11 Ultra's screen has the same specification as that of the Mi 11. |
