Apple overtook Samsung as the top global smartphone manufacturer in 2023, according to preliminary data from market research firm IDC. If the data is accurate, it is the first time Samsung has lost the top spot to another company in 13 years. In 2013, Nokia held the number one spot, Samsung was second, and Apple didn't even feature in the top five.
IDC bases its analyses on market share of global smartphone shipments across the year. According to the report, Apple took a 20.1% market share, while Samsung took 19.4% of the share.
Apple was also the only company in the top three to achieve positive growth year-on-year, increasing shipments from 226.3 million units to 234.6 million units.
"While we saw some strong growth from low-end Android players like Transsion and Xiaomi in the second half of 2023, stemming from rapid growth in emerging markets, the biggest winner is clearly Apple," said Nabila Popal, research director with IDC's Worldwide Tracker team. "Not only is Apple the only player in the Top 3 to show positive growth annually, but also bags the number 1 spot annually for the first time ever. All this despite facing increased regulatory challenges and renewed competition from Huawei in China, its largest market."
Samsung's drop in rank is interpreted as only partly down to strong sales of Apple's iPhone 14 models and the company's debut of the iPhone 15 series, while diversification in the Android market is also said to be a factor. Other impacting variables are said to include Huawei's resurgence in China, and brands like OnePlus, Honor, Google, and others launching competitive devices in the lower price range of the high-end market.
Overall, the smartphone market declined by 3.2% to 1.17 billion units shipped across the year, driven largely by macroeconomic challenges and elevated inventory early in the year. However, a growth spurt in the latter stages of 2023 suggests the market could see a recovery this year, with foldable devices and increased interest in AI capabilities also said to be gaining traction.
Tuesday November 19, 2024 12:12 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previo...
Wednesday November 20, 2024 3:42 am PST by Tim Hardwick
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence.
Image credit: Reddit user No_Highlight7476
The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through ...
We're officially just one week away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 29 in 2024. As always, this week is the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small...
Anker today kicked off its big Black Friday sale, which is set to run through December 9. This sale includes notable discounts on portable chargers, USB-C hubs, cables, and more.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
There are a few bonus offers during this event as ...
Thursday November 21, 2024 5:10 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 29 through Monday, December 2 in many countries, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the U.K., and others. During the event, customers can get an Apple gift card with the purchase of an eligible product.
In the U.S., for instance, Apple is including gift ...
Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:36 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple has partnered with select merchants to offer Apple Card users three percent Daily Cash back on their purchases, and two new companies were added to the partner list today. When purchasing goods and services from Booking.com and ChargePoint, Apple Card users will now get more cash back.
Booking.com is a site for reserving flights, cars, cruises, and hotels, while ChargePoint sells...
Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:10 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 come three weeks after the launch of iOS 18.1.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 17.7.2 for...
Amazon today has knocked the price off of multiple M3 MacBook Air models, with as much as $300 off select computers. Prices start at $849.00 for the 13-inch M3 MacBook Air (16GB RAM/256GB), and also include multiple 15-inch models as well.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site ...
It would be nice to see the breakdown according to smartphone models shipped...
considering how many more models Samsung offers, especially in the budget range, it's still a pretty impressive feat that apple was able to outsell them
Overall, the smartphone market declined by 3.2% to 1.17 billion units shipped across the year,
Peak smartphone is already here.
This is why Apple is pushing higher and higher priced iPhones. In economics, companies in a declining market will increase the average selling price to make up for declining or stagnating volume.
So if we see headlines like "iPhone is selling worse this year", it doesn't mean much. It's expected. We need to look at average selling price to see how much money Apple is actually making instead of volume.
Why do *you* need to look at the average selling price? As a consumer that really shouldn't be of any concern to you. If iPhone is selling lower numbers in one year over the last, then it is just selling lower numbers. Unless you're a shareholder, that should be the end of the story for you.
I believe it goes back to the adage "An argument should not only be correct, but it should also be correct for the right reasons".
Many people here like to equate lower smartphone sales with the implication that Apple is no longer innovating, lagging behind or doomed because they are making less money. The reality is that even as smartphone upgrade cycles slow, Apple has been able to mitigate this by way of higher prices, more accessories and more services. The end result is improved profitability, even as they sell fewer units overall.
In short, Apple is moving from selling iPhones to selling to people with iPhones. It's an impressive pivot that completely goes against the popular narrative and it works because Apple has its own ecosystem and its own flourishing App Store, unlike Samsung and other android handset manufacturers.
