TECH & GAMING
Advocates Philippines
Apple Overtakes Samsung In 2023
Photo credit: Apple
Apple has dethroned Samsung to become the leader of the global smartphone market for the first time since 2010. The latest data comes from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.
Despite facing increased regulatory challenges and resurging competition from Huawei in China, Apple's resilience has enabled it to secure its place as the only player in the Top 3 to exhibit positive annual growth. The Cupertino-based tech giant's success is attributed to the rising trend of premium devices, now constituting over 20% of the market. Aggressive trade-in offers and interest-free financing plans have fueled this surge, solidifying Apple's dominance.
The global smartphone market faced headwinds in 2023, with a 3.2% year-over-year decline in shipments, reaching 1.17 billion units—the lowest in a decade. Macro-economic challenges and heightened inventory levels early in the year contributed to this dip. However, a remarkable recovery is on the horizon, with a promising growth trajectory evident in the second half of the year. The fourth quarter of 2023 witnessed an 8.5% year-over-year growth, surpassing the forecast of 7.3%, with 326.1 million shipments.
Nabila Popal, research director with IDC's Worldwide Tracker team, highlights the remarkable growth of low-end Android players like Transsion and Xiaomi in emerging markets. However, she emphasizes that Apple emerges as the biggest winner, securing the number 1 spot annually.
"The overall shift in ranking at the top of the market further highlights the intensity of competition within the smartphone market," notes Ryan Reith, group vice president with IDC's Worldwide Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers.
While Apple played a pivotal role in Samsung's drop in rank, the Android space itself is diversifying. Huawei is swiftly making inroads in China, while brands like OnePlus, Honor, Google, and others compete vigorously in the lower price range of the high end. Moreover, the rise of foldables and increased discussions around AI capabilities on smartphones indicate an intriguing future for the smartphone industry.
Despite facing increased regulatory challenges and resurging competition from Huawei in China, Apple's resilience has enabled it to secure its place as the only player in the Top 3 to exhibit positive annual growth. The Cupertino-based tech giant's success is attributed to the rising trend of premium devices, now constituting over 20% of the market. Aggressive trade-in offers and interest-free financing plans have fueled this surge, solidifying Apple's dominance.
The global smartphone market faced headwinds in 2023, with a 3.2% year-over-year decline in shipments, reaching 1.17 billion units—the lowest in a decade. Macro-economic challenges and heightened inventory levels early in the year contributed to this dip. However, a remarkable recovery is on the horizon, with a promising growth trajectory evident in the second half of the year. The fourth quarter of 2023 witnessed an 8.5% year-over-year growth, surpassing the forecast of 7.3%, with 326.1 million shipments.
Nabila Popal, research director with IDC's Worldwide Tracker team, highlights the remarkable growth of low-end Android players like Transsion and Xiaomi in emerging markets. However, she emphasizes that Apple emerges as the biggest winner, securing the number 1 spot annually.
"The overall shift in ranking at the top of the market further highlights the intensity of competition within the smartphone market," notes Ryan Reith, group vice president with IDC's Worldwide Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers.
While Apple played a pivotal role in Samsung's drop in rank, the Android space itself is diversifying. Huawei is swiftly making inroads in China, while brands like OnePlus, Honor, Google, and others compete vigorously in the lower price range of the high end. Moreover, the rise of foldables and increased discussions around AI capabilities on smartphones indicate an intriguing future for the smartphone industry.
Jan 18, 2024
