Chinese smartphone makers are swiftly growing their presence in the global market, taking over the entry-to-mid-tier segment while creating a buzz with unique premium models to narrow the competitive gap with top players Samsung and Apple.

In August, Chinese firm Xiaomi claimed second in terms of global monthly sell-through volumes for the first time in three years, beating Apple, market tracker Counterpoint Research said Thursday. Samsung Electronics retained the top spot.

August is usually seen as Apple's weakest month in a year, given how the company usually launches its new-generation iPhones in October. Xiaomi appears to have benefited from Apple’s seasonal slide for the month.

But as one of the fastest-growing brands in the first half of this year marking 22 percent on-year growth in sales volume, Xiaomi’s beating of Apple is “symbolic” according to the market tracker.

The company, having suffered from severe supply struggles in 2022, has adopted a “leaner product strategy” to create one hero model per price band while tapping into new markets and consolidating its positions in existing markets, Tarun Pathak, research director at Counterpoint Research, said.

As Samsung and Apple vie for dominance with premium flagship smartphones and introducing generative AI models, Xiaomi and other Chinese brands like Huawei are rapidly closing the gap with the top smartphone makers.