Apple’s iPhone is the world’s biggest selling smartphone

They say that emotion is never a good guide to investment so it’s possible some Apple investors should think twice before selling up on strength of claimed iPhone sales weakness. As in the mobile industry Apple seems to be the only bright star in the sky.

How do we know this?

Apple overtakes Samsung

Thank Canalys, whose analysis of the global smartphone biz tells us Apple outsold all its competitors, including Samsung, across the last 12-months. “Apple overtook Samsung to become the largest smartphone vendor by shipments in 2023,” they said.

“Apple showed resilience over the past two years, thanks to solid ongoing demand in the high-end segment. The expanded positioning of its iPhone 15 series has pointed to the future direction of Apple’s portfolio strategy to reach a broader range of consumer segments,” said Canalys Research Manager Amber Liu in a statement.

Threats also exist

That’s not to suggest Apple has nothing to fear. Continued fallout in China is driving Huawei to rise, and the looming introduction of AI-inside smartphones (which frankly Apple already provides) is expected to impact the business.

Samsung meanwhile continues to be battered. “In 2023, Samsung focused on the mid-to-high-end segment for profitability but lost share in the low-end segment and also its leading position in the global market,” said Liu.

What is interesting is that the analysis firm sees signs of recovery in the smartphone business – and Apple has become the global market leader.

The data:

Global smartphone shipments increased 8% year on year in Q4 2023.
Across 2023, shipments reached 1.1 billion units, down 4% on 2022.
This ended seven consecutive quarters of decline.
Apple took 24% of the Q4 market, driven by new iPhones.
Samsung grabbed 17%,
The two leaders were followed by Xiaomi (13%), Oppo (9%), and Transsion (8%). IDC data broadly reflects Canlays, also placing Apple in first position.

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