IDC: Worldwide Smartphone Shipment +7.8% YoY; Samsung regains #1 position
According to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, global smartphone shipments increased 7.8% year over year to 289.4 million units in the first quarter of 2024 (1Q24). This marks the third consecutive quarter of smartphone shipment growth, a strong indicator that a recovery is well underway.
“As expected, smartphone recovery continues to move forward with market optimism slowly building among the top brands,” said Ryan Reith, group vice president with IDC’s Worldwide Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers. “While Apple managed to capture the top spot at the end of 2023, Samsung successfully reasserted itself as the leading smartphone provider in the first quarter. While IDC expects these two companies to maintain their hold on the high end of the market, the resurgence of Huawei in China, as well as notable gains from Xiaomi, Transsion, OPPO/OnePlus, and vivo will likely have both OEMs looking for areas to expand and diversify. As the recovery progresses, we’re likely to see the top companies gain share as the smaller brands struggle for positioning.”
“The smartphone market is emerging from the turbulence of the last two years both stronger and changed,” said Nabila Popal, research director with IDC’s Worldwide Tracker team. “Firstly, we continue to see growth in value and average selling prices (ASPs) as consumers opt for more expensive devices knowing they will hold onto their devices longer. Secondly, there is a shift in power among the Top 5 companies, which will likely continue as market players adjust their strategies in a post-recovery world. Xiaomi is coming back strong from the large declines experienced over the past two years and Transsion is becoming a stable presence in the Top 5 with aggressive growth in international markets. In contrast, while the Top 2 players both saw negative growth in the first quarter, it seems Samsung is in a stronger position overall than they were in recent quarters.”
| Top 5 Companies, Worldwide Smartphone Shipments, Market Share, and Year-Over-Year Growth, Q1 2024 (Preliminary results, shipments in millions of units) | |||||
| Company | 1Q24 Shipments | 1Q24 Market Share | 1Q23 Shipments | 1Q23 Market Share | Year-Over-Year Change |
| 1. Samsung | 60.1 | 20.8% | 60.5 | 22.5% | -0.7% |
| 2. Apple | 50.1 | 17.3% | 55.4 | 20.7% | -9.6% |
| 3. Xiaomi | 40.8 | 14.1% | 30.5 | 11.4% | 33.8% |
| 4.Transsion | 28.5 | 9.9% | 15.4 | 5.7% | 84.9% |
| 5. OPPO | 25.2 | 8.7% | 27.6 | 10.3% | -8.5% |
| Others | 84.7 | 29.3% | 79.0 | 29.4% | 7.2% |
| Total | 289.4 | 100.0% | 268.5 | 100.0% | 7.8% |
| Source: IDC Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, April 15, 2024 | |||||
Notes:
• Data are preliminary and subject to change.
- Company shipments are branded device shipments and exclude OEM sales for all vendors.
- The “Company” represents the current parent company (or holding company) for all brands owned and operated as a subsidiary.
- Figures represent new shipments only and exclude refurbished units.
References:
https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS52032524
AST SpaceMobile: “5G” Connectivity from Space to Everyday Smartphones
Huawei reports 1% YoY revenue growth in 3Q-2023; smartphone sales increase in China
Overall China’s smartphone sales grew 1.5% YoY in Q1 2024, marking the second consecutive quarter of positive YoY growth, according to Counterpoint’s Market Pulse Service.
Huawei was the biggest winner among the OEMs during Q1 with its 69.7% YoY growth in market share. Counterpoint largely attributes this to the successful launch of the 5G-capable Mate 60 series, as well as its ‘enduring brand reputation’, helping it to make gains in the $600+ premium segment. The same factors are seen as the cause of Apple’s 19.1% drop.
Honor also had a good quarter, growing 11.5% YoY in Q1. Counterpoint says this was driven by popular models such as the X50 and Play 40, and its expansion in offline channels.
“Q1 2024 was the most competitive quarter ever, with only 3% points separating the top six players in terms of market share,” said Counterpoint Senior Analyst Mengmeng Zhang. “Smartphone OEMs compete fiercely during the festive period, finalizing various marketing and promotional strategies well in advance. In particular, Chinese OEMs, with their ample cost-effective offerings, capitalize on the surge in sales in the low-end segment as migrant workers purchase more affordable, budget smartphones when returning home for the holidays. This trend further narrowed the market share gap among major players.”
Another Senior Research Analyst Ivan Lam pointed to the possibility of an iPhone recovery: “We are seeing slow but steady improvement from week to week, so momentum could be shifting. For the second quarter, the possibility of new colour options combined with aggressive sales initiatives could bring the brand back into positive territory; and of course, we are waiting to see what its AI features will offer come WWDC in June. That has the potential to move the needle significantly longer term.”
Going forward, Counterpoint estimates low single-digit YoY growth for China’s smartphone market in 2024, and notes that it expects smartphone OEMs to continue continue to explore new AI applications, and that these will trickle down to the mid-end segment.
Last week Huawei launched two variants of a new flagship phone range called Pura 70 to the Chinese market. As with the Mate 60, which Counterpoint points to a driver for much of Huawei’s success this quarter, most of the interest centred around what chips the new handsets are using since US led bans prohibit it from procuring them from the leading global manufacturers.
According to Reuters, multiple teardown reviews reveal that the Pura 70 features the Kirin 9010 chip, which ‘appears to be a slight upgrade’ from the Kirin 9000s in the previous Mate 60 Pro.
https://www.telecoms.com/mobile-devices/apple-s-smartphone-market-share-tanks-in-china-while-huawei-s-surges
The global smartphone market continued its comeback in Q1 as shipments increased 6 per cent year on year for a total 296.9 million as Samsung took over the top spot from Apple, data from Counterpoint showed.
Samsung took a 20 per cent share of market shipments (up from 17 per cent the previous quarter), while Apple fell to 17 per cent. Apple’s shipments declined 13 per cent year on year.
Counterpoint Research attributed most of the market’s shipment surge to strong performances across Europe, Middle East and Africa (MEA), the Caribbean, and Latin America.
Prachir Singh, senior research analyst at Counterpoint, stated MEA was the fastest growing region due to strong shipments by Tecno, Xiaomi and Honor. He noted China’s shipments were boosted by robust Lunar New Year sales and Huawei’s comeback in the market.
He explained Europe, especially Central Europe and Eastern Europe, grew the most compared to a difficult Q1 2023, while the mature markets of North America and Japan declined.
Record first quarter revenue
Global smartphone revenue grew by 7 per cent year on year, the most ever in a first calendar quarter.
Apple led smartphone market revenue with a 43 per cent share, despite an 11 per cent decline in its revenues year-on-year, while Samsung’s smartphone market revenue grew by 2 per cent.
Jeff Fieldhack, research director for Counterpoint, stated Apple’s performance was impacted by increased competition in China, record low upgrades in the US and “a difficult compare from last year due to iPhone 14 Pro’s supply shifting to Q1 2023”.
He noted emerging markets provide long term growth opportunities for Apple as well as the upcoming inclusion of AI on its devices.
Samsung’s success was driven by a strong performance from its Galaxy S24 series as well as an early refresh of its Galaxy-A series.
Last month data house IDC reported Q1 smartphone shipments rose 7.8 per cent to 289.4 million units, the third consecutive quarter of shipment growth.
https://www.mobileworldlive.com/apple/samsung-on-top-in-global-smartphone-bounceback/