Apple failed to surpass Samsung as the largest smartphone brand in the first three months of 2024, according to figures from market researcher IDC.
After years of a close race, Apple managed to surpass Samsung as the largest smartphone brand last year. The American manufacturer delivered slightly more smartphones than its South Korean competitor in 2023.
However, Apple’s performance faltered in the first quarter of 2024. The iPhone’s market share declined to 17.3 percent with 50.1 million units sold. Samsung, which launched the successful Galaxy S24 model earlier this year, sold 60.1 million phones, capturing a market share of 20.8 percent, putting Samsung back in the top spot.
Chinese phone maker Xiaomi holds the third position with a market share of 14.1 percent.
After a few years of decline, the smartphone market is showing signs of improvement. Global smartphone sales rose to 289.4 million units in the first three months of this year, primarily due to a recovery in demand in emerging markets such as the Middle East and Africa.