The lead in smartphone sales has been reclaimed by Samsung, overtaking Apple as competition from Chinese companies intensifies, according to the latest report from the International Data Corporation released on Monday.
With worldwide smartphone shipments increasing by almost 8 percent in the first quarter of this year to 289.4 million, Samsung, based in South Korea, emerged on top, as per the preliminary data from IDC.
This marks the third consecutive growth quarter in the global smartphone market, indicating a positive shift from a previous decline, as pointed out by IDC.
Ryan Reith, Vice President of the IDC Worldwide Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers team, anticipates that major smartphone companies will strengthen their positions while smaller brands will face challenges as the market continues to recover.
In the first quarter of this year, Samsung shipped 60.1 million smartphones, securing nearly 21 percent of the market share, according to IDC data.
On the other hand, Apple shipped 50.1 million iPhones, capturing just over 17 percent of the market during the same period, IDC revealed.
Apple experienced a 9.6 percent decline in smartphone shipments from the previous quarter, while Samsung’s shipments saw a marginal drop, according to the market analysis.
Meanwhile, Xiaomi, based in China, witnessed a 33 percent growth in shipments to reach 40.8 million units, and Transsion experienced an 85 percent surge to 28.5 million units, securing the third and fourth spots in the overall smartphone market, as reported by IDC.
Commenting on this shift in smartphone market leadership, Ryan Reith stated, “Although Apple led the market at the end of 2023, Samsung has reclaimed the top position as the leading smartphone provider in the first quarter.”
Reith further noted that IDC foresees Samsung and Apple maintaining their dominance in the high-end smartphone market while competitors from China aim to expand their market reach.
Nabila Popal, Research Director with IDC’s Worldwide Tracker team, stated, “There is a noticeable change in the hierarchical structure among the top five companies, a trend likely to continue as market players adapt their strategies in a post-recovery era.
“Xiaomi is showing a strong comeback from the significant declines seen over the past couple of years, while Transsion is establishing a solid presence in the top five with robust growth in international markets.”
AFP