The smartphone industry is on a recovery path at the moment following a major disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which also forced companies to lower their forecasts and record a sharp decline in shipment figures. Among the smartphone markers hit big time by the crisis this year is Samsung, whose worldwide mobile phone shipments fell below the 300 million mark for the first time in nine years.

As per a report by Korea-based ETNews, the company is expected to ship a total of 270 million phones this year. By the end of Q3 2020, the chaebol had shipped 189.4 million devices, a number that includes both feature phones as well as smartphones. However, the company expects to bounce back next year and is targeting over 300 million phone shipments in 2021 as demand spikes with the market on a recovery route. Samsung is also expected to benefit from the trade restrictions imposed on HUAWEI by the US government.

Samsung aims to touch the 300 million mark again in 2021

The report adds that Samsung has set a shipment target of 307 million units in 2021, out of which, 287 million will be smartphones while the rest will feature phones. The shipment goal is still said to be a tad conservative, as the company is bracing for any potential uncertainties in 2021 as well. Additionally, the profits are also expected to erode slightly as the demand for flagships wanes, and it further is compounded by the fact that a majority of smartphone sales is driven by the budget Galaxy-M and Galaxy-A devices.

Big push to 5G and foldable smartphones in 2021

Out of the 287 million smartphones Samsung aims to ship next year, 49.8 million will reportedly be flagships that include the Galaxy S21 family as well foldables. Notably, Samsung aims to roll approximately 6 million foldable smartphones off its production line next year. Half of that number will be the rumored affordable foldable device that the company hopes will help democratize foldable smartphones. 

Samsung also plans to give a major push to 5G-ready smartphones next year. Out of the 270 million smartphones Samsung aims to ship next year, 237 million units will reportedly fall under the budget Galaxy-A and Galaxy-M family, the latter of which is targeted at the Indian market.