In a surprising turn of events, Apple has dethroned Samsung as the world’s leading smartphone seller, ending the Korean tech giant’s 12-year reign.
According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), Apple’s iPhone seized the top spot in 2023, selling 234.6 million units and surpassing Samsung’s 226.6 million units.
“The last time a company not named Samsung was at the top of the smartphone market was 2010, and for 2023 it is now Apple,” IDC remarked.
This power shift is attributed to Apple’s release of the iPhone 15 in September and the growing popularity of high-end devices, constituting over 20% of the market. Apple now commands a 20.1% market share, ahead of Samsung’s 19.4%, marking the first time Apple leads not only in revenues and profits but also in volume.
Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight, acknowledges the psychological blow to Samsung but predicts a close-fought battle in 2024. He humorously remarks, “Apple’s strong trajectory and consumer loyalty mean once they get one, they seldom switch to something else.”
The smartphone market, particularly for Android devices, is becoming increasingly fragmented, with low-end rivals like Transsion, Xiaomi, Honor, and Google competing for market share. That, along with Huawei’s success in China, contributed to Samsung’s decline. About Samsung’s slump, Mr Wood says: “This means Samsung needs to do everything it can to hold on to existing users as well as securing new customers for its devices.”
It is important to note that IDC’s sales data was released before Samsung’s latest model, the Galaxy S24 series, launched on Wednesday. These latest models- Galaxy S24, S24 Plus and S24 Ultra- have artificial intelligence-backed features. Apple might not be sitting on that throne for long!
As usual, the battle between Apple and Samsung continues to captivate consumers, with both tech giants striving to retain and attract users in this dynamic smartphone landscape.
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