Global Smartphone Shipments Rebound as Samsung Reclaims Top Spot

In the first quarter of 2024, global smartphone shipments rose by 7.8% to 289.4 million units, according to data from IDC's quarterly mobile phone shipments tracker. The South Korean electronics giant Samsung has reclaimed the top spot from its American rival Apple, which had emerged as the market leader at the end of 2023.

Ryan Reith, group vice president with IDC's Worldwide Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers, commented on the market recovery, stating that "smartphone recovery continues to move forward with market optimism slowly building among the top brands."

While Samsung and Apple are expected to maintain their dominance in the high-end market, IDC anticipates that the resurgence of Huawei in China, along with notable gains from Xiaomi, Transsion, OPPO/OnePlus, and vivo, will likely prompt both firms to seek areas for expansion and diversification. Reith added that "as the recovery progresses, we're likely to see the top companies gain share as the smaller brands struggle for positioning."

The data also revealed an increase in the average selling price of smartphones, as consumers opt for more expensive devices and hold on to them for longer. Xiaomi has consolidated its position as the third-largest smartphone vendor globally, with a 14.1% market share. Samsung captured 20.8% of the market, while Apple experienced a significant 9.6% year-on-year decline, settling at 17.3%.

Transsion, the parent company of Tecno and Infinix, emerged as the fourth-largest vendor globally, with a 9.9% market share and an impressive 84.9% year-on-year growth. Oppo rounded out the top five, capturing 8.7% of the market despite an 8.5% year-on-year drop.

In terms of shipments, Samsung led the pack with 60.1 million units, followed by Apple at 50.1 million and Xiaomi at 40.8 million. Transsion and Oppo recorded 28.5 million and 25.2 million shipments, respectively.

Apple has been facing some headwinds in China, with a resurgent Xiaomi and Huawei chipping away at its market share. A nationalist sentiment, coupled with a Chinese government dictate discouraging the use of iPhones, has also contributed to Apple's challenges in the region. Meanwhile, Samsung is riding the generative AI wave, with its Galaxy S24 series being well-received due to its AI enhancements.