The global flagship store of Huawei Technologies Co in Shanghai. (Photo: CHINA DAILY)

Huawei Technologies Co shipped more smartphones worldwide than any other vendor for the first time in the second quarter of 2020, marking the first quarter in nine years that a company other than Samsung or Apple has led the market, according to data from the market research company Canalys.

In the quarter, Huawei shipped 55.8 million devices, down 5 percent year-on-year. But second-place Samsung shipped 53.7 million smartphones, with a 30 percent fall compared to one year ago.

Canalys said Huawei is still subject to US government restrictions, which have affected its business outside of the Chinese mainland. Its overseas shipments fell 27 percent from April to June.

But Huawei has grown to dominate its domestic market, boosting its Chinese shipments by 8 percent in Q2, and it now sells over 70 percent of its smartphones in the Chinese mainland. China has emerged strongest from the coronavirus pandemic, with factories reopened, economic development continuing and tight controls on new outbreaks, Canalys added.

"This is a remarkable result that few people would have predicted a year ago," said Ben Stanton, senior analyst at Canalys. "If it wasn't for COVID-19, it wouldn't have happened. Huawei has taken full advantage of the Chinese economic recovery to reignite its smartphone business. Samsung has a very small presence in China, with less than 1 percent market share, and has seen its core markets, such as Brazil, India, the United States and Europe, ravaged by outbreaks and subsequent lockdowns."