Samsung Regains Top Spot as Apple's iPhone Shipments Fall in Q1 2024

Apple's iPhone shipments decreased by nearly 10% globally in the first quarter of 2024, hit by rapid growth in shipments by rival Chinese vendors, based on data provided by the International Data Corporation (IDC).

iphone 15 china
According to the IDC report, Apple's shipments fell 9.6% to 50.1 million units in the first quarter, down from 55.4 million units in the same quarter the previous year. Apple experienced the most significant annual decline among the top five smartphone brands covered in the report.

Samsung reclaimed its position as the market leader, which it had lost to Apple the previous year, by capturing a 20.8% market share with shipments of about 60.1 million units, roughly the same as last year. In 2023, its market share was 22.5% during the same period.

IDC global phone shipments 1q2024
In contrast, after having last year overtaken Samsung to become the top smartphone manufacturer for the first time, Apple experienced a decline in market share from 20.7% to 17.3%.

"While IDC expects these two companies to maintain their hold on the high end of the market, the resurgence of Huawei in China, as well as notable gains from Xiaomi, Transsion, OPPO/OnePlus, and vivo will likely have both OEMs looking for areas to expand and diversify," said Ryan Reith, group vice president at IDC Worldwide Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers.

Apple has struggled to sustain interest in its flagship smartphone lineup in China since the company released its iPhone 15 series in September, which came just weeks after Huawei debuted its highly popular Mate 60 series. Interest in iPhones has also been impacted by a Beijing-backed ban from the offices of a huge number of state-owned enterprises in power generation, seaport construction, mining, manufacturing, education, and investment markets.

IDC global smartphone shipments 1q20242
Apple's drop in shipments came during a time when global first-quarter smartphone shipments actually rose 7.8% year-on-year to 289.4 million units. It was the third consecutive quarter of shipment growth across the worldwide market, according to IDC.

Tags: China, IDC

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Top Rated Comments

contacos Avatar
10 months ago
and as an iPod Touch and iPhone user since iPhone 3G, I hope it keeps on declining further. Apple needs to be forced to wake up gain ?? you can release the same phone only so many times.

- sent from iPhone 15 Plus
Score: 44 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bsbeamer Avatar
10 months ago
This will not help the DOJ monopoly argument.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
coffeemilktea Avatar
10 months ago

Apple has struggled to sustain interest in its flagship smartphone lineup in China since the company released its iPhone 15 series in September, which came after Huawei debuted its highly popular Mate 60 series.
Political issues aside, it probably doesn't help that Chinese phone manufacturers in general — not just Huawei — are putting out some pretty good phones with really good cameras and great batteries... meanwhile, Apple is about to release the iPhone 12SSSS this year. :p
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
antiprotest Avatar
10 months ago
Tim Cook should ask Siri how to get back on top. Oh wait, he needs to ask Gemini because Apple has no AI.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Iconoclysm Avatar
10 months ago

Thing is, no smartphone vendor is doing anything interesting anymore. Smartphones are basically mature. It will come down to who has the best AI integration over the next few years IMO
I'm really not betting on the AI integration being a differentiator either. That battle isn't going to be fought on the smartphone.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
a m u n Avatar
10 months ago
Samsung primarily sells budget-friendly phones, whereas Apple does not. It’s expected for Samsung to sell more units when their phones are priced at $200.



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Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)