Apple, the tech giant behind iPhone handheld devices, could potentially dethrone Samsung as the smartphone leader in the world.
With the impending release of the iPhone 15 this month, this reality just gets closer to happening, according to market intelligence provider TrendForce.
Samsung is Historically Dominant Over Apple
According to 9to5Mac, South Korean electronics giant Samsung used to be the best-selling smartphone brand globally for a long time until Apple came.
With a wide variety of portfolios, Samsung has a lot to offer to consumers. The selection includes their flagship handsets and even the most budget-friendly options for those who want to save some money.
Over time, Samsung fell off as Apple continued to target premium buyers.
While the iPhone SE caters to the mid-range segment, Apple offers nothing in the budget category. This strategic focus on premium devices has historically made it challenging for Apple to compete with Samsung in terms of sheer volume.
Apple and Samsung Suffer from Q2 Dip
Samsung's second quarter is quite impressive with 53.9 million units shipped around the world. However, its 12.4% quarter-on-quarter record is not surprising since the company also felt the aftermath of the competition, economic downturn, and other factors.
Apple, on the other hand, typically faces its weakest quarter in Q2 due to the transition between older and newer models. Q2 production recorded 42 million units, marking a 21.2% decline compared to the previous quarter.
While the annual production projections of the two smartphone giants are closely aligned, the competition might conclude if iPhone 15 sales will exceed market expectations, per TrendForce.
If this happens, the Cupertino firm could potentially dethrone Samsung from its long-standing global market leader position.
Read also: Apple vs. Samsung: Greg Joswiak Says Samsung is 'Annoying,' Accusing Ripping Off the Technology
iOS is About to Boom in 2023
As per IDC, the iPhone might likely hit a new record for global market share. This year, it is expected that iPhone shipments can target 1.1% growth which accounts for an all-time high share of 19.9%.
This could also mean that iPhones will overtake Android. TrendForce says that the Android devices will plunge by 6.0% in 2023.
While this is good news for Apple, this is gloomy for the entire smartphone market.
"Demand in consumer markets such as China, Europe, and North America has not shown a significant rebound as we move into the second half of the year. Even if economic indicators in the Indian market improve, it is still difficult to reverse the global decline in smartphone production," TrendForce says.
Moreover, the organization predicts that there will be a major change in Q2 2023 which is attributed to the economic disaster that is hitting different countries.
With this, the production of smartphones could likely be affected in the second half of the year. Like in the case of Apple, a few iPhone 15 units will be ordered. That's even lower compared to the iPhone 14 units delivered in 2022.
