Samsung Regains Top Phonemaker Spot As IPhone Sales Plunge In China

(RTTNews) - A recent Mobile Phone Tracker's preliminary data revealed that Samsung (SMSN.L) has reclaimed the title for most global smartphone shipments for first quarter of 2024, surpassing Apple (AAPL).

The data published by the International Data Corp. or IDC found that Samsung has shipped 60.1 million units worldwide in the first-quarter, representing 20.8 percent of the total market share, whereas Apple has shipped a total of 50.1 million units, representing 17.3 percent of the market share.

However, it is to be noted that both the companies have experienced a decline in their shipments compared to last year. Apple's shipment decreased by 9.6 percent, while Samsung's shipment reduced by 0.7 percent.

The IDC noted that Samsung had held the top spot since 2010, but lost the crown to Apple last year in December, when the iPhone maker held 20 percent market share compared to the Korean company's 19.4 percent market share.

Nabila Popal, research director at IDC, predicts, "This year, we are expecting Android to grow at twice the pace of iOS."

The decline in Apple's shipment especially in China is mainly due to domestic competitors and rough economy.

"It's a steep drop for Apple, but if you think of where we have been in the past four years, Apple has probably been the most resilient brand, overcoming supply chain issues and macro challenges, more than other brands," Popal added.

The report further showed that the third spot was held by Xiaomi with 40.8 million units shipped, followed by Transsion with 28.5 million units and OPPO with 25.2 million units.

Speaking about the top five companies, Popal commented, "Firstly, we continue to see growth in value and average selling prices or ASPs as consumers opt for more expensive devices knowing they will hold onto their devices longer. Secondly, 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."

She continued, "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."