Xiaomi edges out Vivo to become the fifth-largest smartphone brand in the world

Xiaomi and OPPO see sizeable gains in Q2 2017 as Samsung and Apple occupy the top two spots.

Xiaomi is having a remarkable year, and the latest numbers from Strategy Analytics reflect that. The company has surged past Vivo to become the fifth-largest smartphone brand in the world in Q2 2017, recording shipments of 23.2 million phones. That's a YoY increase of 58%, with Xiaomi now occupying a global market share of 6.4%.

After a tumultuous 2016, Xiaomi is now following in OPPO and Vivo's footsteps by focusing on the offline sector to boost sales. The company has 137 Mi Home stores throughout China, and is looking to significantly expand its retail footprint in the coming years, taking a $1 billion loan to do so. Xiaomi also launched its first Mi Home store in India, and is looking to open 100 stores in the subcontinent over the next two years.

Xiaomi is also rumored to be starting a new sub-brand that will primarily be sold offline, with leaked renders of an upcoming phone highlighting a dual camera setup similar to that of the Mi 6.

Xiaomi's Indian unit saw a staggering 328% increase in revenue in Q1 2017.

The company saw a meteoric rise in India over the last twelve months, with revenues from the Indian business increasing by 328% in Q1 2017. Most of that has to do with well-timed launches and products that offer incredible value for money. The entry-level Redmi 4A, in particular, turned out to be one of the most popular devices in the country this year, and the Redmi Note 4 continues to sell well six months after its release.

OPPO also noted a healthy increase in shipments to the tune of 64%, and the company managed to successfully lure customers away from the likes of ZTE, LG, and Alcatel in China, India and Europe.

Global smartphone shipments grew by 6% to 360.4 million, with Samsung coming in at first place with 79.5 million shipments. The South Korean company now has a global market share of 22.1%, with healthy sales of the Galaxy S8 and S8+ buoying its shipments. Apple is once again second with 41 million iPhone shipments during the quarter.

Huawei is in third place with 38.4 million shipments, with both the Huawei P10 and Mate 9 posting healthy sales figures. Huawei is slowly edging toward Apple, but with a new iPhone model set to come out this quarter, the Chinese manufacturer won't be able to claim the second spot anytime soon.