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Apple trails Samsung, Huawei in global smartphone market, says Strategy Analytics

The iPhone nabs 11% of total market share in the second quarter of 2019, according to the research firm. Samsung's take was twice that.

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In the war for smartphone market share, Apple's iPhone seems to be having some trouble. After 12 generations, the iOS device captured only 11% of total market share in the second quarter of 2019, lagging behind Samsung phones, which boasted 22%, according to a blog post Tuesday by Strategy Analytics

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 11 in September. The company on Tuesday said iPhone sales slid 12% to $26 billion in its fiscal third quarter. Despite that, Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke of a "significant improvement in iPhone trends."

The latest iPhone line, including the XR, XS and  XS Max , didn't provide much of a differentiated experience compared with previous lines, market research firm Canalys said.

Huawei phones, on the other hand, which have basically been stamped with a scarlet letter by the US government over national security fears, also beat out the iPhone, with 17% global market share, Strategy Analytics reported.

The impact of the China ban on Huawei shipments is likely to be felt next quarter, said Tarun Pathak, associate director at market research firm Counterpoint Research.

"The effect of the ban did not translate into falling shipments during this quarter, which will not be the case in the future," Pathak said. "In the coming quarters, Huawei is likely to be aggressive in its home market and register some growth there, but it will not be enough to offset for the decline in its overseas shipments." 

His firm's research noted that smartphone shipments have declined collectively by 4.3 million units year over year, and the combined global smartphone market share of major Chinese smartphone brands, ranging from Huawei to Xiaomi , has reached its peak market share of 42%, despite trade setbacks. 

The new rankings from Strategy Analytics, Canalys and Counterpoint Research come at a time when global smartphone shipments have declined for seven consecutive quarters, and phones have become engulfed in the US-China trade war. Latest numbers by the federal reserve show that US GDP is slowing down as a result of tariff tensions.

The largest declines in smartphone sales for 2019 are expected to be in Japan, Western Europe and North America, according to global research and advisory firm Gartner. The firm emphasized that it expects smartphone sales to regain growth in 2020 with newer releases of 5G models. 

Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Originally published July 31, 2:49 p.m. PT.
Update, Aug. 1:
 Adds mention of Gartner's 2019 and 2020 expectations.