Xiaomi and Oppo are set to go head-to-head in a bid to claim third spot in the UK smartphone race.
The two Chinese vendors outlined their intentions during the Mobile World Congress last month in interviews with Mobile News.
Apple and Samsung currently dominate the UK smartphone market, according to IDC figures, with respective shares of 54.1 per cent and 25.2 per cent in 2021.
Oppo, with a share of 2.6 per cent, and Xiaomi with 1.6 per cent are a long way behind the duopoly and even behind OnePlus and Motorola, according to the figures.
But despite this, both remain optimistic of claiming third spot in the UK and beyond.
“We’re going for the top three and it’s not just this market, it’s everywhere,” said Xiaomi sales director Jay Frankenberger, who didn’t put a time frame on the target.
“We’re in top three pretty much globally, certainly in Western Europe, and even number one in some countries such as Spain. It’s an ambition of ours to be top three and a clear third place.
For us right now, it’s still about raising that brand awareness and gaining market share in the UK.”
Oppo, which launched in the UK a few months after Xiaomi back in January 2019, is also vying for third position.
Charleen Fang, the recently appointed UK MD for Oppo, insists that the vendor has all the potential at its disposal to succeed on these shores.
“We have all the right ingredients to become that number three player in the UK,” she said. “That number-three position is our mission and I think this is the year we can achieve this.”
Like Xiaomi, Oppo is also looking to boost its brand in the UK, added Fang.
