SAN FRANCISCO: China-based Huawei took the second-place spot from Apple in a tightening global smartphone during the second quarter of this year, according to figures released Tuesday by International Data Corporation.
South Korean consumer electronics titan Samsung remained the top smartphone maker, shipping 71.5 million handsets, but Huawei moved into second position with shipments of 54.2 million, according to IDC Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.
Silicon Valley-based Apple shipped 41.3 million iPhones, claiming 12.1 percent of the global market compared to 20.9 percent for Samsung and 15.8 percent for Huawei.
It was the first time since early 2010 that Apple wasn’t in one of the top two spots in the smartphone market, according to IDC.
“The continued growth of Huawei is impressive, to say the least, as is its ability to move into markets where, until recently, the brand was largely unknown,” said Ryan Reith, program vice president with IDC’s Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers.
The iPhone did well, with the top-of-the-line iPhone X model a big seller in many markets, according to IDC. Apple was expected to wrest back control of the market with the release of new iPhone models in the fall.
Apple, Huawei and Samsung were the main contenders when it came to competition for high-end smartphones priced at $700 or more, according to Reith.
Preliminary findings by IDC indicated a total of 342 million smartphones were shipped during the second quarter in a 1.8 percent decline from the same period a year earlier.
The drop marked the third consecutive quarter of year-over-year declines in the global smartphone shipments, according to IDC.
Market saturation and climbing average selling prices were among factors curbing growth in the smartphone market, said Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker research manager Anthony Scarsella.
“Consumers remain willing to pay more for premium offerings in numerous markets and they now expect their device to outlast and outperform previous generations of that device which cost considerably less a few years ago,” Scarsella said.
Huawei tops Apple in tightening smartphone market
Huawei tops Apple in tightening smartphone market
Acwa appoints Samir Serhan as CEO in planned succession
RIYADH: Saudi utility developer Acwa appointed Samir J. Serhan as CEO effective March 1, replacing Marco Arcelli in a planned leadership transition as the company accelerates global expansion in renewable energy, desalination and green hydrogen.
The Tadawul-listed company said the appointment forms part of a structured succession plan approved by its board, taking into account the scheduled expiration of Arcelli’s contract in April 2027. Arcelli, who has led Acwa since March 2023, will remain adviser to the chairman to support an orderly transition, according to a regulatory disclosure to Tadawul.
The leadership change comes as Acwa — one of the world’s largest private desalination companies and a major investor in energy transition projects — continues to scale its international portfolio amid rising demand for clean power and water infrastructure.
Mohammad Abunayyan, founder and chairman of the board of directors of Acwa, said: “Acwa stands today as a Saudi national champion and a global leader in renewable energy, water desalination, and green hydrogen, and our position continues to strengthen.”
He added: “This structured leadership transition reflects the strength of our governance and the maturity of our business platform. Our strategic direction remains clear and unchanged. We are pleased to welcome Dr. Samir Serhan to his new role as CEO of Acwa.”
Serhan joined Acwa last year as president of Saudi Arabia and Middle East, where he was responsible for seven key markets, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan and Iraq.
“I’m honored to lead Acwa at a pivotal moment as the company accelerates profitable global growth in renewable energy, water desalination, and green hydrogen solutions — including advancing green hydrogen to decarbonize heavy industries — to deliver scalable, sustainable impact worldwide,” said Serhan.
Previously, Serhan served as chief operating officer of the US-based company Air Products, where he had global responsibility for operational business and project execution with profit and loss accountability across the Americas, Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and India. He also led technology, global engineering, manufacturing and equipment functions at Air Products.
Earlier in his career, he was president, Hydrogen for Praxair. For 14 years prior, he worked at the Linde Group in leadership positions in the US and Germany, culminating in his role as managing director of Linde Engineering.
Acwa, recently rebranded from ACWA Power, is a key developer of power and water infrastructure projects under public-private partnership models and plays a central role in Saudi Arabia’s energy transition strategy.
