It's a significant shift in the dynamics of the global smartphone market: Apple has overtaken Samsung as the first wireless carrier for the first time since 2010, according to preliminary data in the annual report from consulting firm International Data Corporation (IDC). The global smartphone market experienced a 3.2% decline in sales in 2023, reaching 1.17 billion units, the lowest annual volume in a decade. According to the consulting firm's data, Apple achieved a 20% market share with more than 234 million phones sold (last year's share was 18.8%), while Samsung sold 226.6 million units and had a 19.4% share. remains. In 2022, Samsung led the way with 21.7%, a decline in sales of more than 13%. Xiaomi, OPPO and Transsion rank third, fourth and fifth respectively, although 31% of market sales go to other sellers.
Nabila Popal, research director at IDC's Worldwide Tracker team, explains: “Although low-end Android players like Transsion and Xiaomi showed solid growth in the second half of 2023, Apple emerged as the clear winner.” not only achieved positive annual growth, but also secured the top spot for the first time, an achievement achieved despite regulatory challenges and increased competition from Huawei in China.” Popal attributed the continued success to the growing trend towards premium devices, which now accounts for more than 20% of the market, and highlighted strategic initiatives such as offering interest-free financing plans as key factors in the adoption of these premium devices.
IDC also highlights that brands like Huawei, OnePlus, Honor, Google and others are making significant strides in the Android world, especially in the lower price segment of high-end devices. The consultancy expects a significant market recovery in 2024, supported by strong growth in the second half of 2023. The fourth quarter (4Q23) alone saw 8.5% growth with 326.1 million sales, exceeding forecast growth of 7, 3 exceeded. The rise of foldable phones and increasing discussions about artificial intelligence capabilities in smartphones will provide a boost to the market, the consultancy said. “The overall change in rankings at the top of the market underscores the intensity of competition in the smartphone market,” said Ryan Reith, vice president of IDC. “This company is facing a very interesting time, with diverse players and innovative features shaping the future of consumer electronics.”
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