Huawei is expected to further ramp up its smartphone shipments to 120 million units in 2016, buoyed by growing sales momentum of its products in Europe and emerging markets, as well as improved brand image, according to sources from Taiwan's handset supply chain.

Huawei shipped 108 million smartphones globally in 2015, growing 44% from 75 million shipped a year earlier, and ranked the third-largest smartphone vendor trailing after Samsung Electronics and Apple.

In 2016, the vendor is expected to expand its P- and Mate-series high-end portfolios as these two series of products have been enjoying strong sales, said the sources, adding that the launch of the Nexus 6P in cooperation with Google has raised Huawei's brand image, particularly in Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany and Portugal.