Samsung Outperforms Apple in Q1 Global Smartphone Shipments

Apple and Samsung: The Global Smartphone Giants

Apple and Samsung have long held the reputation for being the leading manufacturers of smartphones on a global scale. However, over the past few years, Chinese tech companies have begun to make their presence felt, sometimes even surpassing Apple's iPhone product lines.

Q1 2024 Smartphone Shipments: Samsung Leads, Apple Follows

In a chart based on data from the IDC Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, Statista's Florian Zandt reveals that between January and March 2024, approximately one in five of the 289 million smartphones shipped were Samsung devices. Apple, on the other hand, held a market share of 17.3 percent. Xiaomi was not far behind, with a 14.1 percent share in the market, which equates to about 41 million smartphones shipped in the first quarter of the year.

Other Key Players in the Smartphone Market

Completing the top four smartphone vendors with the highest number of devices shipped is Transsion. This company accounted for every tenth smartphone sold in the first three months of 2024. Despite only entering IDC's top 5 in the second quarter of 2023, Transsion has been in operation since 2006. Its devices have gained increasing popularity in emerging markets, particularly in Africa.

Market Share Trends: Apple, Samsung, and the Rise and Fall of Huawei

Examining the smartphone vendor market share over time, Apple and Samsung have consistently been at the top for most of the first quarters since 2014. Huawei is a notable exception, having gained prominence in the latter half of the 2010s. The company even managed to surpass Samsung as the top-selling smartphone brand worldwide in the second quarter of 2020, after coming within 3.3 percentage points in the preceding three months.

However, Huawei's ascent was abruptly halted by the end of 2020, reportedly due to increasing U.S. sanctions on the company. Its position was swiftly taken over by its Chinese competitors, Xiaomi and Oppo, which had combined market shares ranging from 22 to 25 percent in the first quarters of 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Final Thoughts

The smartphone market is a dynamic and competitive landscape, with companies constantly vying for the top spot. The rise and fall of different brands over time is a testament to this. As consumers, it's fascinating to observe these shifts and speculate on what the future may hold. What are your thoughts on this? Do share this article with your friends and let's get the conversation going. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is delivered every day at 6pm.