One would think that the ongoing pandemic and ensuing component shortage would have stymied Samsung’s smartphone making capacity. The opposite seems to be the case, The Elec learned. It has reportedly manufactured about 300 million smartphones in 2021, the South Korean publication states.
Of the 300 million units in total, Samsung made about 240 millions of them. The rest were made by ODMs such as Wingtech and Huaquin. That number is expected to rise significantly this time around, as Wingtech has bagged an order for 40 million smartphones. Other ODMs could see increased orders, too.
Samsung will need all the help it can get to reach its target of 334 million smartphones manufactured in 2022. While it is not an ideal solution, ODMs often offer respite by taking care of manufacturing and logistics, allowing the parent company to focus on research and development.
Of the 300 million units manufactured only 20 million were Galaxy S21 series devices. While not entirely a lost cause, it is unlikely that Samsung will be thrilled that it managed to move only 20 million of its high-end smartphones in an entire year. The lower-end Galaxy A, Galaxy M and Galaxy F phones likely accounted for the bulk of sales.
Interestingly enough the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 crossed over a million sales in South Korea alone, so they made up for a not-too-significant piece of the pie. Samsung is optimistic about the future of its foldables and has increased production to keep up with the eventual demand.
