In 2023, Apple dethroned Samsung Electronics as the world’s leading smartphone seller, securing a 20 per cent market share, according to International Data Corp. Samsung concluded the year with a 19.4 per cent share, trailing behind China’s Xiaomi, Oppo, and Transsion, as indicated by preliminary data from IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.
This shift in rankings reflects a challenging year marked by subdued consumer interest in smartphone upgrades due to global economic uncertainty and high inflation. The sluggish recovery in China, the largest smartphone market globally, further dampened overall phone sales.
Amid a 3.2 per cent decline in the market, dropping to 1.17 billion units and hitting a ten-year low, Apple and Transsion were the sole brands among the top five to experience growth in shipments. Notably, Apple is contending with intensified competition in China, where Huawei has staged a comeback, and lower-cost Chinese brands are gaining traction. To attract customers, the iPhone manufacturer is offering rare discounts of up to 5 per cent on select models in the Chinese market.
