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Smartphone sales are growing for the first time in two years

People really liked the new iPhones this year.

Smartphone sales have been stagnating for the last two years as people tire of constantly upgrading their devices and make an effort to hold onto them for longer. The upgrade cycle continues eventually, however, and a new report by data analysis company Strategy Analytics shows that global smartphone shipments grew by 2 percent this quarter compared to last year.

Sales grew from 359.8 million units total sold worldwide in Q3 2018 to 366.3 million units in Q3 2019. Linda Sui, Director at Strategy Analytics, believes this growth is due to strong competition lowering prices and customers opting for larger displays and 5G connectivity.

The growth this quarter was driven primarily by Samsung and Huawei, with Samsung sales growing 8 percent compared to this time last year and Huawei sales growing by a massive 29 percent over the same period. Samsung succeeded with its launch of the Galaxy Note 10, and Huawei overcame ongoing regulatory issues in North America by pushing its sales in China.

In the case of Apple, sales actually fell by 3 percent over the last year. However, Strategy Analytics believes Apple has begun to stabilize thanks to cheaper iPhone 11 pricing and increased demand across Asia and the United States.

Other brands making significant sales include Xiamoi which sells mostly in India and China, but is facing competition from Huawei and Realme, and OPPO, which is expanding from China into Western Europe.