Malcolm Owen
Apple isn't on top of the worldwide smartphone market in 2024 so far, though the iPhone did benefit from customers buying more premium models.
The holiday shopping season is an important one for many companies, including Apple. However, the following quarter is when launch and holiday sales start to slip, which research from Counterpoint seemingly indicates.
According to the firm's latest Mobile Market Monitor report covering the first quarter of 2024, Apple was second in terms of global smartphone shipments. Apple reportedly secured a 17% market share, beaten only by Samsung with 20%.
To Counterpoint, this was a "dethronement," but it's not. Really, it's the usual post-holiday sales downturn that happens every year.
Apple starts its sales with a bang, but eventually the initial sales rush falls off. That is, until Apple releases more iPhones in the fall, as it always does.
Apple's position does beat other China-centric producers, including Xiaomi with 14%, Oppo with 8%, and Vivo at 7%.
As a whole, global shipments for 2024's first quarter grew 6% year-on-year, to 296.9 million units in total. The market also declined on a successive quarterly basis by 8%.
On a regional basis, Apple still led the pack in North America, with a 52% share versus 31% for Samsung, though Counterpoint previously said the market was weakening. In Europe, Samsung led 32% to Apple's 25%.
In Asia, Apple managed 14%, just behind leader Xiaomi's 15% share. In LATAM countries, Apple was fourth with 6% to Samsung's 31%, and it managed 5% in MEA against 22% for Samsung.
Despite losing its first-place position on global shipments, Counterpoint offers respite for Apple, in that it enjoyed a higher average selling price per device. While the estimated ASP isn't disclosed, it is said to be due to the improved sales of the Pro models, driving up the amount consumers are willing to pay.
Earlier in May, Counterpoint offered more granular details of global smartphone sales for the quarter. At the time, it declared the iPhone 15 Pro Max as the top smartphone with a 4.4% share, followed by the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 14.
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
Chip Loder
4 Comments
Ok let’s assume that H has just frozen over and for some reason I HAVE to switch to an Android phone. Under no circumstances would it be a Samsung. Every time I or someone I know has bought a Samsung phone, monitor, or other complete product it has been unreliable trash. They make good components but I have no idea why people buy their devices.
I have to say, “So what” Apple sells more, Samsung sells more…It just isn’t news important enough to keep posting about unless the trend is beyond belief.
One interesting thing to think about is how about 70% of the phone market is using iPhone industrial design language now, with Samsung following pretty close to it. Many of Samsung's phones follow a very similar round-rect flat sided band sandwiched with glass in front and back. Even the folding display phones have this flat-side band with glass front and back look.
Samsung reserves the sharper corner rectangle on their top end model (Galaxy S Ultra models), making it the most unique looking model in their lineup. I'm tempted to think that this is a strategy to try to devalue iPhones by commodifying look of iPhones, with Samsung's low and mid range models looking more like iPhones.
An alternative explanation is that Apple's iPhone tooling is so prevalent in east Asia such that building an iPhone looking phone is the easiest thing to do, but this is really doubtful?
Sony's phones are basically the lone Android phone with unique design left I think. I'm sure that are a gazillion phones in China that are unique that you can't get in the USA though.
I am not surprised at all. I have been an apple fanboys for a long time and I am starting to jumped ship. I am in apple ecosystem from iPhone, iMac and iPad, and iWatch. I feel they have too complex system interoperability across all their device platforms. so many bugs especially for international customers like me. The FaceTime calls dropping or cannot pick up, or does not ring. ring in one device but not on the others. handover is problematic at best. iPhone 15 is so hot. The iCloud is very slow and full of bloated backup that is difficult to clean. I like their premium feeling but now the price and quality DO NOT justify any good value any longer. the only thing that apple still winning is on its service compare to other players.
I bought Samsung Galaxy S24 ultra recently and I can tell you, the hardware and software combination is much more superior to Apple Pro Max. Samsung premium product screen are out of this world. Much more responsive too. Much better feeling on the hand. hardware and software combination is much faster compare to my Apple ProMax. I just have to learn again on how to use a new phone. painful for couple of days.
Apple need to wake up. their software and hardware is not as good as their thought it is. it shows on how they dropped prices on their new products introduction to move their products lately. I still wish them well, but they need to keep up with the competition.