Samsung snatches top spot from Apple in global smartphone market

Samsung is once again back on top of the global smartphone market after losing the spot to Apple in the December quarter. According to fresh IDC data for the first quarter of 2024, Apple witnessed a 10% drop in shipments due to competition heating up in the Android space. The Cupertino-based company shipped 50.1 million iPhones, down from the 55.4 million units it shipped in the same period last year.

Samsung came in first this past quarter with a 20.8% market share, followed closely by Apple with a 17.3% share. Chinese phone maker Xiaomi bagged the third spot with a 14.1% share, while Transsion (TECNO, itel, Infinix) came in fourth, and OPPO came in fifth. Overall, the global smartphone market is seeing positive gains after a turbulent few years following the pandemic. Smartphone shipments increased 7.8% year-over-year to 289.4 million units in the first quarter of 2024.

IDC predicts that while Samsung and Apple will maintain their stronghold on the market, the growing presence of Chinese phone makers will likely push the duo to expand and diversify their portfolio.

“There is a shift in power among the Top 5 companies, which will likely continue as market players adjust their strategies in a post-recovery world. Xiaomi is coming back strong from the large declines experienced over the past two years, and Transsion is becoming a stable presence in the Top 5 with aggressive growth in international markets. In contrast, while the Top 2 players both saw negative growth in the first quarter, it seems Samsung is in a stronger position overall than they were in recent quarters,” said Nabila Popal, research director with IDC’s Worldwide Tracker team.