According to Monday’s report from the International Data Corporation (IDC), Samsung has reclaimed its throne as the leading smartphone vendor, edging out Apple once again, while competition from Chinese contenders intensifies for both giants in the market.
IDC’s preliminary data reveals that Samsung, headquartered in South Korea, surpassed Apple as global smartphone shipments surged by nearly 8 percent in the first quarter of the year, reaching 289.4 million units.
IDC notes that the global smartphone market has seen growth for the third straight quarter, indicating a steady rebound from a previous downturn in the sector.
Ryan Reith, Vice President of IDC’s Worldwide Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers team, foresees a scenario where major smartphone players strengthen their foothold in the market, while smaller brands encounter difficulties in competing as the industry recuperates.
Samsung’s shipment of 60.1 million smartphones in the first quarter of this year, as reported by IDC, solidifies its position in the market with a share of nearly 21 percent.
IDC reported that Apple shipped 50.1 million iPhones during the same period, securing slightly over 17 percent of the market share.
As per the market tracker’s data, Apple witnessed a 9.6 percent decline in smartphone shipments in a quarter-over-quarter analysis, whereas Samsung’s shipments decreased by less than one percent.
IDC’s report highlights that China-based Xiaomi witnessed a notable surge of approximately 33 percent, accumulating 40.8 million shipments, while Transsion experienced a remarkable growth of 85 percent, reaching 28.5 million shipments. This propelled them to the third and fourth positions, respectively, in the overall smartphone market.
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“While Apple managed to capture the top spot at the end of 2023, Samsung successfully reasserted itself as the leading smartphone provider in the first quarter,” Reith said.
IDC expects Samsung and Apple to maintain their hold on the high end of the smartphone market while Chinese competitors seek to expand sales, according to Reith.
Nabila Popal, research director with IDC’s Worldwide Tracker team, said: “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.”