Apple is reportedly no longer the top phonemaker as Samsung clinches the spot with a 20.8% market share on global smartphone shipments. The news comes as Apple's smartphone shipments drop by 10% for 2024's first quarter.
The sharp drop in sales for the iPhone manufacturer follows a stellar quarter in which it surpassed Samsung to become the world's top phone manufacturer. With a 17.3% market share, it has returned to second place as Chinese companies like Huawei increase their market share.
Xiaomi, one of the top Chinese smartphone manufacturers, came in third with a 14.1% market share in the first quarter. During that time, the South Korean manufacturer shipped over 60 million smartphones from Samsung's current flagship line, the Galaxy S24 series, which was unveiled at the start of the year.
As per the Korea Times, although Samsung lost its top spot to Apple in September of last year, the Galaxy 24, which has several AI features, has done well in the market since its January release.
(Photo: Joe Maher/Getty Images for Samsung) Samsung is introducing the new One UI 6.1 update to broaden the reach of its Galaxy AI features.
Based on data from industry researcher Counterpoint Research, Samsung sold 19.69 million smartphones in February, taking a 20 percent market share, ahead of Apple, which sold 17.41 million phones for an 18 percent share. Analysts credited strong sales in the US and European markets for Samsung's ascent back to the top of the rankings.
With a 34 percent market share, the maker of the Galaxy smartphone series continued to hold the top spot in the European market.
Furthermore, it saw a significant increase in its market share in the United States, which is customarily controlled by Apple devices, going from 20 percent in January to 36 percent.
During the same time frame, Apple's market share in the United States decreased from 64% to 48%.
For the first time in 13 years, Samsung lost its position as the leader in the worldwide smartphone market share in terms of shipments to Apple last year.
Apple surpassed Samsung, whose share fell to 19.4 percent from 21.7 percent in 2022, with a 20.1 percent share in 2023, according to market research firm IDC.
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Apple's Decline
The decline highlights the American company's difficulties in its third-largest market, where several Chinese businesses and government organizations ban staff access to Apple devices. This practice is similar to the American government's prohibitions on Chinese software due to security concerns.
The Cupertino, California-based corporation will showcase upgrades to the software that powers iPhones, iPads, and other Apple products at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June.
Apple's Mac Plans
Apple has revealed intentions to integrate its M4 processors into nearly every Mac model that the iPhone manufacturer releases.
According to insiders who asked not to be named, Apple wants to replace every Mac model with the new CPU, which will come in at least three main types.
The company intends to ship the updated computers in late 2024 or early 2025. New iMacs, Mac minis, top-tier 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros, and a budget-friendly 14-inch MacBook Pro, will all be part of the lineup.
Apple is developing the new Macs at a critical juncture. After reaching a record in 2022, Mac sales fell 27% in the most current fiscal year, which ended in September.
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