Apple Just Managed To Steal The Smartphone Crown From Samsung After 12 Years

In a big change, Apple’s iPhone is now the world’s top-selling smartphone, beating Samsung, which held the title for over a decade. Data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) for 2023 shows that Apple sold 234.6 million iPhones, giving it a 20.1% market share.

Meanwhile, Samsung sold 226.6 million units, with a 19.4% market share. This marks a switch from 2022 when Samsung led with 262.2 million shipments (21.7%), and Apple followed with 226.3 million (18.8%).

The success of Apple’s iPhone 14 and the newer iPhone 15, launched in September, played a significant role in this change. On the other hand, Samsung faced challenges as competitors introduced new Android phones worldwide.

Analysts from IDC pointed out that Apple’s positive growth and leadership are due to the popularity of premium devices, making up over 20% of the market. Apple’s use of aggressive trade-in offers and interest-free financing plans has also contributed to this success.

China’s Huawei also impacted Samsung’s sales with its well-received phones. Other major players in global smartphone shipments for 2023 include Xiaomi with 145.9 million units (12.5%) and OPPO with 103.1 million units (8.8%). Transsion, a Chinese company, secured the fifth spot with 94.9 million shipments, holding an 8.1% market share.

Although the overall global smartphone shipments declined by 3.2% compared to the previous year, totaling 1.17 billion units, IDC suggests that the smartphone market is moving towards recovery. The data indicates that low-end Android players like Transsion and Xiaomi experienced strong growth, especially in emerging markets.

However, Apple faces challenges despite its top-selling position. The company reported a decline in overall revenue for the fourth consecutive quarter during its fiscal Q4 2023 earnings call. Complications in Apple’s relationship with China have also impacted its largest market, with reports suggesting that the iPhone 15 might not be performing as well as previous models.

As the smartphone industry undergoes changes, with new players entering and existing ones diversifying, competition is increasing. Samsung is gearing up to release its latest flagship Galaxy S24 handset, aiming to reclaim the top spot from Apple, making the smartphone space an interesting and competitive arena.