Apple ends Samsung's 12-year run as world's top smartphone seller
Apple's iPhone for the first time became the world's biggest selling smartphone after rival Samsung's 12-year run as leader, data showed.
According to data from the International Data Corporation released on Mon, the iPhone stole Samsung's crown in 2023 with 234.6 million units sold, compared to the South Korean firm's 226.6 million units.
The US tech giant commanded a 20.1% market share ahead of Samsung's 19.4%, the IDC said.
Analysts from the closely watched market tracker said Apple's rise was due to the success of premium devices such as the iPhone.
It's disappointing news for Samsung which - until now - had the top spot as the world's largest maker of memory chips, smartphones and televisions.
They also pointed to an increasingly fragmented market for smartphones that run on the Android operating system, citing low-end Samsung rivals such as Transsion and Xiaomi as well as Honor and Google.
The IDC also said the smartphone market is entering a "very interesting time", with a growing number of Android-providers splintering the market and customers increasingly prioritising foldable phones and AI capabilities.
The success of Huawei's well received offerings in China also had an effect on Samsung's drop in sales, the IDC said.
Huawei has recently made strides in making its own chips, after being banned from buying chips that were made using US technology over claims the company poses a national security risk to Washington.
The sales data came ahead of the latest release of Samsung models expected at an event in California on Wed.
According to IDC, global smartphone shipments declined 3.2% to 1.17 billion units in 2023, though the group said the industry was recovering after a sluggish period.
"Growth in the second half of the year has cemented the expected recovery for 2024," the IDC said in a statement.
"Not only is Apple the only player in the Top 3 to show positive growth annually, but also bags the number 1 spot annually for the first time ever," said the IDC's Nabila Popal.
Offers to trade in old models as well as interest-free financing plans are also driving demand for premium devices like Apple.
Disclaimer: Community is offered by Moomoo Technologies Inc. and is for educational purposes only.
Read more
Comment
Sign in to post a comment
Moo Contributor
Follow me to get useful analysis, learn TA and make profitable trades.
Maximise profit 利润最大化
6656Followers
57Following
24KVisitors
Follow