Global smartphone sales grow 26% in March quarter; Samsung returns to top spot

NEW DELHI: Worldwide smartphone sales grew by 26% in the first quarter of 2021 after a 5% drop in the last quarter of 2020, according to a report by Gartner.

“The improvement in consumer outlook, sustained learning and working from home, along with pent-up demand from 2020 boosted sales of smartphones in the first quarter,” said Anshul Gupta, Senior Research Director at Gartner. “Consumers started spending on discretionary items as the pandemic situation improved in many parts of the world and markets opened up,” he added.

However, the industry’s pandemic-driven woes may not be over just yet. The research firm also noted that the global chip shortage may affect smartphone sales in the coming quarter, with possible changes in the average selling price (ASPs) of mobile phones worldwide.