Apple to surpass Samsung in worldwide smartphone shipments in 2023: IDC
Apple has overtaken Samsung to ship the most smartphones in 2023, according to a new report from market research firm IDC. It is the first time that the Cupertino-based tech giant has surpassed Samsung in global smartphone shipments since 2010. Apple’s rise comes on the back of the growing popularity of premium iPhone models and aggressive trade-in offers. Global smartphone shipments fell by 3.2 percent year-on-year (YoY) in 2023. However, the final quarter of 2023 saw 8.5 percent YoY growth, indicating an expected recovery in 2024. Xiaomi comes in a close third, with other Chinese smartphone brands including Oppo and Transsion Holdings rounding out the top five.
According to analyst firm IDC Global quarterly mobile phone trackerGlobal smartphone shipments declined 3.2 percent year-on-year to 1.17 billion units in 2023 due to a difficult macroeconomic environment and increased inventory. The fourth quarter of 2023 saw 8.5 percent year-on-year growth with 326.1 million shipments.
For the first time, Apple surpassed Samsung and other Android phone makers in global smartphone sales. The iPhone maker had a 20.1 percent market share last year after shipping 234.6 million units. The South Korean smartphone brand shipped 226.6 million units and grabbed a 19.4 percent market share. Xiaomi took third place with 145.9 million units shipped and a 12.5 percent market share.
Oppo and Transsion came in fourth and fifth place respectively. Oppo shipped 103.1 million units and got a market share of 8.8 percent, while Transsion shipped 94.9 million smartphones and got a market share of 8.1 percent.
In the fourth quarter of 2023, Apple led the market with a market share of 24.7 percent, followed by Samsung, Xiaomi, Transsion and Vivo in the top five. IDC notes that the last time Samsung did not top the smartphone market was 13 years ago in 2010. Apple’s performance is attributed to the increasing trend of premium devices and interest-free financing plans.
“While we saw strong growth from low-end Android players like Transsion and Xiaomi in the second half of 2023, driven by rapid growth in emerging markets, the biggest winner is clearly Apple,” said IDC’s Worldwide Tracker team research director Nabila Popal. “Apple is not only the only player in the Top 3 to deliver positive annual growth, but also takes the #1 position annually for the first time. This is despite increased regulatory challenges and renewed competition from Huawei in China, its largest market,” he added.
Despite the decline in global smartphone shipments in 2023, the market is expected to recover in 2024, fueled by new launches and diversification of Android players. Ryan Reith, Vice President of IDC’s Worldwide Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers, opined that the overall Android space is diversifying within itself. Huawei is making rapid progress in China, and brands like OnePlus, Honor, Google and others are launching competing devices in the upper mid-range segment. Foldable devices and increased discussions around AI capabilities are gaining momentum, hinting at competitive market trends to come.
