Apple (AAPL.O) launches a new tab that ends According to a prediction by International Data Corp., Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) will begin a new 12-year run as the world’s leading smartphone seller after securing a 20% market share in 2023.
As of the end of the year, Samsung held a 19.4% market share, ahead of Oppo, Transsion, and China’s Xiaomi (1810.HK), according to preliminary statistics from IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.
The shift in the rankings follows a challenging year in which consumers delayed upgrading their smartphones and opted for less expensive models as a result of rising inflation and unstable economic conditions.
Despite the fact that the market fell 3.2% to 1.17 billion units last year, marking a decade low, just two of the top five smartphone makers saw growth in sales: Apple and Transsion, which distributes the Tecno, Infinix, and itel brands.
The largest winner is unquestionably Apple, according to Nabila Popal, research director at IDC’s Worldwide Tracker team. “We saw some strong growth from low-end Android players like Transsion and Xiaomi in the second half of 2023, stemming from rapid growth in emerging markets,” Popal said.
IDC data shows that last year’s phone shipments were up 3.7% for iPhones and down 13.6% for Samsung.
According to Amber Liu of research firm Canalys, Samsung lost market share in the low-end category while concentrating on the mid-to high-end segment for profitability.
But in China, low-cost Chinese manufacturers and a resurgent Huawei are putting pressure on Apple. In an effort to draw in customers, the manufacturer of iPhones is giving discounts of up to 5% on some models within the nation.
Microsoft surpassed Apple to become the most valuable publicly traded business in the world on Friday, as Wall Street became increasingly anxious about the demand for the company’s iPhones and other high-end devices.
