Data from IDC research shows that Apple's smartphone shipments declined by about ten percent in the first quarter of 2024, pressured by intense competition from Android smartphone manufacturers for the top global position. Global smartphone shipments increased by 7.8 percent to reach 289.4 million units during the period from January to March, with Samsung capturing a market share of 20.8 percent, thereby dethroning Apple from the smartphone industry.
This sharp decline in sales for the iPhone maker follows its strong performance in the quarter ending in December, when it surpassed Samsung to become the world's leading phone manufacturer. However, it returned to second place with a market share of 17.3 percent, as Chinese brands like Huawei gained market share. Xiaomi, one of the largest smartphone manufacturers in China, ranked third with a market share of 14.1 percent during the first quarter.
Samsung, which launched its latest series, the Galaxy S24, at the beginning of the year, shipped more than 60 million phones during this period. IDC data indicates that Apple shipped 50.1 million iPhones in the first quarter, down from 55.4 million phones shipped during the same period last year.
