Preliminary data from IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker reveals that Apple’s rise to the top was fueled by a stellar 20% market share, relegating Samsung to a 19.4% share by the end of 2023.
The unexpected shift in rankings comes amidst a year when smartphone sales faced headwinds, with consumers cautious about upgrades and a sluggish recovery in China, the world’s largest smartphone market.
China’s Xiaomi, Oppo, and Transsion trailed behind Samsung, securing positions in the top five. Notably, Apple and Transsion were the sole brands among the top contenders to achieve growth in shipments last year, defying the industry’s overall decline of 3.2% to 1.17 billion units—the lowest in a decade.
While Apple celebrates its newfound supremacy, the tech titan faces challenges in its crucial Chinese market. A resurgent Huawei and competition from budget Chinese brands have intensified the landscape. In response, Apple has initiated strategic measures, including unprecedented discounts of up to 5% on select models, to lure customers in China.
