The number of smartphones sold worldwide in the first quarter fell below 300 million for the first time in six years due to the coronavirus pandemic.

According to market research firm Counterpoint Research on Tuesday, 294-point-nine million smartphone sets were sold globally between January and March this year, down 13 percent compared to a year earlier.

The last time the number dropped below 300 million was in the first quarter of 2014.

Sales volume declined in most countries, including China, where the number of devices sold dipped 26 percent.

Leading smartphone maker Samsung Electronics maintained the top spot with a 20-percent global market share, but its sales volume also dropped 19 percent on-year.