IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker shows that Apple shipped more smartphones in a year than Samsung for the first time ever. Apple is predicted to be the number one company for the entire year of 2023 by Canalys, another research firm, despite IDC’s warning that its data is preliminary and liable to change. Apple’s total mobile shipments are estimated by IDC to be 234.6 million, while Samsung’s are 226.6 million. The remaining three companies in the top five are Transsion, Oppo, and Xiaomi, with 145.9, 103.1, and 94.9 million handsets supplied, respectively.
According to IDC, Samsung didn’t lead the yearly board in 2010—13 years ago—at that point. Apple wasn’t even listed in the top five back then. Rather, the top five positions were occupied by Nokia, Samsung, LG Electronics, ZTE, and Research in Motion (the company that makes BlackBerry devices), in that order. This list of businesses is as good of proof as any that 13 years is a long time in the smartphone business.
Research director Nabila Popal of IDC’s Worldwide Tracker team stated, “Not only is Apple the only player in the Top 3 to show positive growth annually, but it also bags the number 1 spot annually for the first time ever.” “The growing trend of premium devices, which now account for over 20% of the market and are driven by aggressive trade-in offers and interest-free financing plans, is largely responsible for Apple’s continued success and resilience.”
While IDC acknowledges that Apple was a major factor in Samsung’s fall from grace, the business also faced fierce rivalry from other Android makers, including Google, Huawei, OnePlus, Honor, and Honor. Not only is Samsung facing competition from these firms, but Canalys also points out that Apple’s expansion into the Chinese market may face obstacles due to Huawei’s “growing strength.” According to allegations that surfaced last year, Huawei was able to get over US sanctions and include a cutting-edge 7nm processor from Chinese chipmaker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC) into its 5G-capable Mate 60 Pro smartphone.
Although shipments of smartphones fell 3.2% overall in 2023 compared to 2022, there are indications that the market may be rebounding from its recent downturn. After declining for seven consecutive quarters, IDC forecasts that shipments increased by 8.5 percent year over year in the fourth quarter; Canalys, on the other hand, projects an 8 percent growth.
