Technology giant Huawei is now the world’s second-biggest smartphone manufacturer by sales, surpassing Apple for the first time, according to the latest results from Strategy Analytics. Huawei shipped a record of 54 million units in Q2 2018, increasing its global market share ahead of Apple to 15.5 percent.

Huawei’s midrange models such as the new nova range are the main driver for the sale increases along with the company’s ongoing investment in cutting edge research and new manufacturing techniques.

Since launching in the New Zealand market in 2005, Huawei has shown an increasing commitment to Kiwi consumers and the local economy as the first and only smartphone manufacturer to offer te reo Māori as an operating language on devices.

Demand for Huawei’s flagship devices has also increased in New Zealand. Sales of the new HUAWEI P20 Pro, launched in April 2018, have already trebled that of the HUAWEI P10 sales figures, demonstrating the demand from Kiwi consumers as Huawei continues to grow in the market.

“The popularity of the HUAWEI P20 series shows that Kiwi consumers are becoming more familiar with the brand and are attracted to the high-end features the device delivers, such as the world’s first triple-lens rear facing camera,” says Andrew Bowater, Deputy CEO of Huawei New Zealand.

“New Zealand is an extremely important market for Huawei and we will continue to invest here to grow, deliver the best service and strive for innovation by bringing our best phones to New Zealand consumers,” states Bowater.

To further immerse itself in the New Zealand market, Huawei announced Kiwi sports stars Nehe Milner-Skudder and Jordie Barrett, as well as Roy Krishna and Tom Doyle of the Wellington Phoenix as local ambassadors for the HUAWEI P20 series.

Furthermore, Huawei hosted a free all ages music festival on SKYCITY’s Federal Street earlier this year. The all Kiwi line-up included SACHI, SWIDT, Kings, Chores, JessB and Jetski Safari who took to the stage to celebrate the New Zealand launch of its flagship consumer phone.

Recognising the importance of local talent and how Kiwis resonate with popular personalities, Huawei continues to use talent such as Anika Moa, Stacey Morrison and Kings to promote latest product launches.

Huawei has continued to expand here and around the globe with its commitment to innovation as the driving force behind its performance increase. Investments in technological advances serve as a cornerstone of Huawei’s expansion and has contributed to the growth of Huawei compared with its competitors.

In 2017, 80,000 Huawei employees worked in R&D and the company strategically invested USD $28.3 billion (NZD $19.25 billion) in innovation.

“The benefits of Huawei’s global R&D are felt in the New Zealand market,” says Bowater. “We’re able to deliver high-end devices with features we believe exceed that of our competitors, to the hands of Kiwi consumers, with specialised offerings, such as the te reo Māori operating language.”

To introduce the best technology, Huawei has built long-term partnerships that combine expertise to set unmatched benchmarks in the industry. To develop the best smartphone camera, Huawei partnered with Leica to allow them to create algorithms and artificial intelligence fields to bring smartphone photography to a new level. Through this partnership, Huawei introduced the first ever triple camera on the HUAWEI P20 Pro that took the highest score of the mobile review from DxOMark.

Huawei will continue its strategy to strategically invest in innovation and remain a global leading tech company. The company will put forward new and advanced technology to gain preference and trust from consumers across New Zealand with a goal to ultimately become the leading smartphone manufacturer here and abroad.