At the end of July 2020, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei seized for the first time, according to the firm Canalys, the first place in the sector. With 55.8 million phones delivered during the second quarter, the Shenzhen giant overtook the historical leader, the Korean Samsung (53.7 million units over the same period). Paradoxical situation: at the time, the manufacturer, target since 2018 of disabling sanctions imposed by the American administration, said it was in a situation of “Survival”, while posting insolent performances – linked in particular to the faster restart of the Chinese economy in the crisis linked to Covid-19.
Huawei then flattered itself, by press release, of its “Exceptional resilience in these difficult times”. It seems to have fizzled out now. In the latest results announced by Canalys for the second quarter, on July 15, Huawei no longer even appears in the top 5 worldwide. Behind Samsung and its 19% market share come the Chinese Xiaomi (17%) – with a growth of 83% -, the American Apple (14% market share) then the Chinese Oppo and Vivo ( 10% each).
In this ranking, the former world number 1 is now relegated to the inglorious category of “other sellers”. Another report, from the Counterpoint firm, says the brutality of Huawei’s shutdown. In the first quarter, it only granted it a 4% market share, against 20% in the second quarter of 2020. This while Canalys announces a rebound in sales of smartphones worldwide of 27% in the first quarter compared to the same period in 2020.
American attacks
The hostility of the United States towards Huawei dates back at least to 2012, during the Obama era. But it was under the Trump presidency that the violence of the beatings by the US administration peaked, under the guise of threats to US security – unless it was out of fear that America would fail. put China behind in the global technological competition. The White House then used all the means at its disposal to achieve its ends.
She used the legal lever, in December 2018, to obtain the arrest of Meng Wanzhou, financial director of Huawei and daughter of the founder, Ren Zhengfei, in Canada, and request his extradition to the United States. After three years of legal battle and diplomatic crisis, new hearings devoted to this subject were to begin on Wednesday, August 4, before a Canadian court.
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