According to a new report from market research firm IDC, Apple will overtake Samsung to ship the most smartphones in 2023. This is the first time since 2010 that the Cupertino tech giant has overtaken Samsung in global smartphone shipments. Apple’s growth follows the growing popularity of premium iPhone models and aggressive trade-in offers. Global smartphone sales fell 3.2% in 2023 compared to the previous year. However, the final quarter of 2023 recorded annual growth of 8.5%, suggesting that a recovery can be expected in 2024. Xiaomi is in third place. Chinese smartphone brands such as Oppo and Transsion Holdings occupy the top five places.
Global smartphone sales will decline 3.2 percent year-on-year to 1.17 billion units in 2023 due to difficult macroeconomic conditions and rising inventories, according to analyst firm IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Phone Tracker. In the fourth quarter of 2023, it grew 8.5% year-on-year and sold 326.1 million units.
For the first time, Apple is the best-selling smartphone worldwide, overtaking Samsung and other Android smartphone makers. This iPhone maker sold 234.6 million units last year and has a market share of 20.1%. The Korean smartphone brand has sold 226.6 million units and has a market share of 19.4%. Xiaomi sold 145.9 million devices and ranked third with a market share of 12.5%.
Oppo and Transsion took fourth and fifth place. Oppo sold 103.1 million smartphones and achieved a market share of 8.8%. Transsion has now sold 94.9 million smartphones and captured 8.1 percent of the market share.
In the last quarter of 2023, Apple led the market with a market share of 24.7%, followed by Samsung, Xiaomi, Transition and Vivo in the top five positions. IDC points out that the last time Samsung failed to lead the smartphone market was 13 years ago, in 2010. Apple’s performance can be attributed to the growing trend towards premium devices and interest-free financing programs.
“In the second half of 2023, low-end Android players such as Transsion and Xiaomi saw strong growth due to rapid growth in emerging markets, but the biggest winner was clearly Apple,” said Nabila Popal, research director of the global tracker team IDC. . Not only is Apple the only company in the top three to post positive growth every year, but it is also in first place every year for the first time in history. It’s all in China, its biggest market. Increasing regulatory challenges and new competition from Huawei.”
Although global smartphone sales will decline in 2023, the market is expected to recover in 2024 due to new product launches and diversification of Android players. The overall Android space is diversifying, said Ryan Reith, vice president of global mobility and consumer device trackers at IDC. Huawei is expanding rapidly in China, with brands such as OnePlus, Honor and Google offering competitive devices in the mid-range segment. There is increasing talk about foldable devices and AI capabilities, indicating future trends in a competitive market.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.