In Short:
Samsung has overtaken Apple as the world’s top smartphone vendor in Q1 2024, shipping more devices. Apple saw a 9.6% decrease in iPhone shipments, while Samsung had a 0.7% decline. Samsung’s market share decreased slightly, while Apple’s also saw a dip. The launch of Samsung’s S24 series, including the powerful Galaxy S24 Ultra, may have drawn consumer interest. IDC predicts Apple and Samsung will continue to dominate the premium device market.
Samsung Overtakes Apple to Become World’s Largest Smartphone Vendor
Samsung has emerged as the top smartphone vendor in the world by shipping the highest number of devices in Q1 2024, according to preliminary data from IDC. The report indicates that Apple experienced a 9.6% year-on-year decline in iPhone shipments during the quarter, allowing Samsung to surpass them. While Samsung also faced a decline in shipments, it was significantly lower compared to Apple. Samsung witnessed a 0.7% year-on-year drop in smartphone shipments to 60.1 million units.
Market Share and Competition
Apple shipped approximately 50.1 million iPhone units in the same quarter. However, Samsung experienced a decrease in shipment volume share from 22.5% in Q1 2023 to 20.8% in Q1 2024, while Apple saw a decrease from 17.3% to 20.7%.
Analysis and Future Outlook
It is speculated that either iPhone users are upgrading their devices less frequently or the latest iPhone 15 series did not have a significant impact on consumer preferences. Samsung likely gained traction with the launch of the S24 series, especially the Galaxy S24 Ultra.
IDC predicts that both Apple and Samsung will continue to dominate the premium devices market. While Chinese OEMs are striving to attract consumers in the premium segment, the transition is expected to be gradual.
Upcoming Developments
Apple is anticipated to introduce new color options for the iPhone 15 series, following its trend of offering unique color variants. For instance, with the iPhone 14 series, a Yellow color variant was introduced to capture user attention. However, considerable value addition in the device remains crucial for user satisfaction.
The performance of these tech giants in the April-June 2024 quarter will be closely monitored to gauge their strategies and consumer response.
