Chinese smartphone maker Huawei has surpassed Apple in global sales to become the world’s second biggest smartphone brand for the first time, after it was consistently ahead in June and July, according to market analysts. Huawei’s August sales were also strong, said Counterpoint Research’s Market Pulse for July 2017 report. Samsung is in the top position.

Counterpoint’s Research Director Peter Richardson said this was a significant milestone for Huawei, and that it shows how far it has grown in the last few years. “The global scale Huawei has been able to achieve can be attributed to its consistent investment in research and development, and manufacturing.” Aggressive marketing and expansion of the sales channel can also be credited for its growths.

The report comes just ahead of the expected launch of Apple’s new phone, the iPhone 8 or the iPhone X, on September 12. With this in mind, Richardson said Huawei might not necessarily be able to sustain its position. Huawei’s weak presence in South Asia, India and North America also limits its potential. “Huawei is over-dependent on its home market China where it enjoys the leadership position, and operator-centric markets in Europe, Latin America and Middle East”.

The report further said that the growth of Chinese brands like Huawei, Oppo, Vivo and Xiamoi is an important trend that can no longer be ignored. They have, in fact, restricted the progress of brands like Apple and Samsung, it said.

Counterpoint’s Associate Director Tarun Pathak attributed this growth to not only design and technical specifications, but also to better marketing and promotion strategies.