Global Smartphone Production Sets Highest QoQ Growth in Recent Years with 20% Increase in 3Q20 with Apple set for Strong Calendar Q4
In 3Q20, the smartphone industry benefitted from the gradual easing of pandemic containment measures worldwide, the arrival of year-end holiday season, and the expanded production targets by smartphone brands looking to capture Huawei’s lost market share, according to TrendForce. These factors together drove up global smartphone production to 336 million units in 3Q20, a 20% increase QoQ, which is the highest QoQ growth in recent years.
Looking ahead to 4Q20, TrendForce believes that the Huawei sanctions will continue to influence the smartphone market. The competing brands will remain aggressive in component procurement and maintain a high production level.
In Q3-20 Apple posted a small QoQ increase of 2% in its iPhone production to 42 million units for 3Q20. This result mainly has to do with the delay in the launch of the iPhone 12 series.
Regarding 4Q20, Apple will substantially improve its performance. Although the models under the 12 series