In Q1 2021, global 5G smartphone shipments grew 6% QoQ, with Samsung up 79% QoQ and Vivo up 62% QoQ, while Apple maintained its lead despite a 23% dip
BOSTON—(BUSINESS WIRE)— According to new research from Strategy Analytics, Samsung and Vivo were the world's fastest growing 5G smartphone vendors in the first quarter of 2021.
Context & Ripple Effects
The Q1 2021 5G shipment snapshot shows Samsung and Vivo gaining volume quickly even as Apple retained the category lead. Later 2021 overall smartphone data still put Apple and Samsung first and second, with Vivo among the next tier in Q4 global shipment shares.
The longer record separates global scale from regional momentum: Vivo later led India’s Q1 2024 market, while Apple and Samsung remained the top two global vendors in 2025 in India’s vendor rankings and the 2025 global shipment tally.
First-order effects
- Samsung’s 79% quarterly 5G shipment increase and Vivo’s 62% increase make both vendors more immediate volume challengers to Apple in the 5G segment.
- Apple remains the 5G leader despite its 23% quarterly decline, preserving its position while Samsung and Vivo gain momentum.
Second-order effects
- Samsung and Vivo’s faster growth raises the competitive pressure on Apple in 5G handset sell-through, shifting attention from leadership alone to the pace of vendor expansion.
- Vivo’s Q1 2021 growth is consistent with its later leadership in India’s Q1 2024 smartphone market, underscoring how 5G-volume gains can reinforce vendor positions in major regional markets.
Third-order effects
- The subsequent shipment data point to a market structure in which Apple and Samsung retain global scale while Vivo can build meaningful strength in specific markets rather than displace the leaders globally.
- If vendor growth continues to vary by region and network transition, smartphone competition will be defined less by a single worldwide ranking and more by parallel global and country-level contests.
The trend: 5G adoption is widening smartphone competition, with Apple and Samsung sustaining global leadership while Vivo’s growth demonstrates the importance of regional scale.