Apple and Samsung have long been battling for dominance in the smartphone market. At certain moments, the initiative is intercepted by a manufacturer from South Korea, the rest of the time the company from Cupertino rules the ball. According to a recent report from analyst firm Canalys, Samsung is once again leading the market in the first quarter of this year, but this time the lead is narrower than Apple.
For Apple, it was the best first quarter in three years. Even despite the decline in demand for the iPhone 14
It should be noted right away that both companies have a launch schedule for their smartphones, which they have been following for more than a year. Apple releases the iPhone in the last quarter of the year, while Samsung launches its flagship Galaxy S series smartphones in the first quarter. Of course, the results of sales will be very different. For example, after launching the iPhone 14 line at the end of last year, Apple showed a significant leap, and now it’s Samsung’s turn. After leaving
Galaxy S23 South Korean company managed not only to close the gap, but also to get ahead of its main competitor.
In fact, Samsung was the only brand that significantly increased its market share against the backdrop of a 12% reduction in the global market. The South Korean giant ended the first quarter of 2023 with a 22% share, while Apple with a 21% share. While demand for the iPhone 14 has eased slightly, it has been Apple’s best first quarter in three years.
Third place was retained by Xiaomi with a share of 11%, helped by the launch of new smartphones towards the end of the quarter. OPPO and Vivo took the fourth and fifth positions with 10% and 8% shares, respectively. The trio of Chinese manufacturers are firmly established in several key Asian and European markets, especially in the budget segment.