Global chip shortages led to limited inventories for smartphone manufacturers during Q3, resulting in a 6 per cent year-on-year decline in shipments, Canalys revealed.

The company placed shipments at 325.5 million units compared with 348 million units in Q3 2020, with analysts noting supply constraints are now extending to the high end of the market, as evidenced by shortages of Samsung Galaxy Note devices.

Samsung retained its position as the world’s leading smartphone vendor, shipping 69.4 million units and claiming a 21 per cent market share, though Canalys noted its numbers were down year-on-year.

Canalys cited the iPhone 13 and the reopening of retail outlets as drivers of Apple’s shipments, with the vendor regaining second place on 49.2 million units.

Apple “continues to curry favour with network operators, helping to drive their user bases toward 5G, and getting iPhones prioritised in their portfolios”, research analyst Le Xuan Chiew stated.