Apple Beats Samsung in Smartphone World!
In 2023, Apple overtook Samsung as the world's best-selling smartphone, marking a major shift in the rapidly developing smartphone market. With smartphones accounting for almost 90% of all cell phones in use today, these little devices are a necessary part of everyday life. Global smartphone usage is currently at over 6.5 billion, and developments, market competition, and customer preferences are what continuously drive this sector.
Apple vs. Samsung
The industry leaders Apple and Samsung have been involved in an extensive battle for supremacy in the smartphone market. In 2023, Apple sold an incredible 234.6 million devices, surpassing Samsung's 226.6 million units. With this, Samsung's 12-year dominance as the market leader ended. Apple has shown remarkable recovery in spite of growing regulatory obstacles and Huawei's resurging competitors in China.
Apple's smartphone usage increased from 26.9% in 2021 to 35.3% in 2023, according to a survey conducted in about 20 nations. On the other hand, Samsung's user base decreased and dropped below 30% in 2023. Despite hardship, the company's focus on high-end devices, trade-in offers, and interest-free financing options have driven its growth.
In fact, Apple's dominance is evident in the top-selling smartphones in the first half of 2023, with the iPhone 14 Pro Max topping the list with over 26.5 million copies sold. Apple and Samsung dominate the top 10 list, with no other manufacturer breaking into the ranks. Besides, with a 20.1% market share, Apple made a record by taking the top rank in terms of worldwide smartphone shipments for the entire year of 2023.
Samsung came in second with 19.4%, followed by Xiaomi, Oppo, and Transsion with 12.5%, 8.8%, and 8.1%, respectively. With Huawei making a resurgence in China and brands such as OnePlus, Honor, Google, and others competing for market share in the lower end of the high-end phone range, the smartphone market is becoming increasingly diverse.
Moreover, with a 3.2% year-over-year fall to 1.17 billion units, the global smartphone market saw difficulties in 2023. Macroeconomic concerns and high inventory levels early in the year were the main causes of this fall, which was the lowest in ten years. The second half of the year, however, saw a turnaround, with the fourth quarter seeing an 8.5% year-over-year increase, surpassing the projected 7.3% growth.
Market dynamics
Android, which had a 70.1% market share in the fourth quarter of 2023, continued to dominate the mobile operating system market worldwide. With a 29.2% share, Apple's iOS came in second in the operating system landscape. With a strong 75.5% market share in 2019, Android led, followed by iOS with 23.24%. In 2020, the pattern continued, with Android leading at 72.2% and iOS at 27.19%. Android continued to hold a commanding lead in subsequent years, with market shares of 70.11% in 2023 and 71.7% in 2022.
When we break down Apple's market share by nation, Japan leads with 68.86%, followed by Canada (60.31%), Australia (59.63%), the U.S. (57.93%), and the UK (52.29%). In contrast, nations such as China (74.76%), Brazil (81.45%), Mexico (77.46%), and India (95.16%) are among those where Android is most popular. Global smartphone shipments fell by 4% in 2023, but the market is projected to recover in 2024.
Smartphones are now a major contributor to economic globalization by encouraging entrepreneurship, lowering travel expenses, and creating jobs. They are essential in bringing people together globally and improving communication and information accessibility. By the end of 2024, there will likely be 7.1 billion smartphone users worldwide, which will significantly impact economic growth.
The increasing number of smartphones has altered not only interpersonal communication but also the corporate environment. The growing area of mobile commerce, or m-commerce, saw 79% of smartphone users make purchases on their smartphones in the year 2021. Employees use their own devices for company information access and cooperation as smartphones become more and more necessary in the workplace, contributing to a surge in m-commerce sales.
The global smartphone market is changing; Apple's rise to the top is an indication of both the company's innovation capability and the shifting dynamics of the global smartphone market.