Report: The Samsung Galaxy A51 was the top-selling Android smartphone in Q1 2020

Damien Wilde | May 14 2020 - 5:15 am PT

A new report from data research firm Strategy Analytics suggests that buyer habits during the Q1 2020 have shifted substantially, with the mid-range Samsung Galaxy A51 topping the sales charts for this early portion of the year.

According to the Strategy Analytics report, the flagship Galaxy S20+ was the only “flagship” device within the analysis firm’s top 6 sellers for this early portion of 2020. This could prove to be a good indication of the consumer shift from the so-called “premium” section to what we often perceive as the “mid-range.”

The Xiaomi Redmi 8, Galaxy A10s, Xiaomi Redmi Note 8, and Galaxy A20s rounded off the top 6 sellers during Q1 2020.

Among the Android segment, Samsung took 4 of the top 6 positions worldwide in Q1 2020, while Xiaomi grabbed two. Samsung Galaxy A51 (4G) is the world’s number one best-selling Android smartphone model and accounted for a healthy 2.3% share of all smartphones shipped globally in the quarter. Samsung’s A51 smartphone is popular in all regions, particularly across Europe and Asia.

Xiaomi Redmi 8 is the world’s second most popular Android smartphone model, taking 1.9% marketshare in Q1 2020. Xiaomi’s Redmi smartphone range is selling very well in India and China and increasingly across Europe. Samsung’s Galaxy S20+ held third position with 1.7% share, the only super-premium model appearing in our top-six ranking.

As smartphones have ballooned in price over the past three to four years, savvy buyers are clearly voting with their wallets. None of this is shocking news, as we have seen in previous years that perceived budget smartphones were among the best-sellers globally (h/t The Verge).

However, with the COVID-19 pandemic providing yet another level of financial uncertainty for buyers and manufacturers alike, we may see a massive cultural shift to more affordable portions of the market as everyone begins to tighten the purse strings. Android smartphone sales still accounted for 86% of all smartphones shipped worldwide during the quarter.

Samsung has littered the market with budget and mid-range smartphones — of which the Galaxy A51 is a prime example — in recent years. One would assume that this is in response to the emergence of Huawei as a global player. However, with Huawei facing sanctions and dwindling sales in the west, Samsung undoubtedly has a bigger platform than ever before.