It’s one of the most well-known companies in the world, and now Apple has officially been crowned the world’s biggest phonemaker.
While Samsung has taken the top spot every year since 2010, it was finally knocked off its pedestal by Apple in 2023.
Figures released by the International Data Corporation (IDC) reveal how Apple took 20.1 per cent of the market share last year – a 3.7 per cent increase on 2022.
‘The biggest winner is clearly Apple,’ said Nabila Popal, research director with IDC’s Worldwide Tracker team.
‘Not only is Apple the only player in the Top 3 to show positive growth annually, but also bags the number 1 spot annually for the first time ever.’
Figures released by the International Data Corporation (IDC) reveal how Apple took 20.1 per cent of the market share last year – a 3.7 per cent increase on 2022
It’s one of the most well-known companies in the world, and now Apple has officially been crowned the world’s biggest phonemaker
Preliminary data from the IDC shows that 234.6 million iPhones were shipped in 2023, followed by 226.6 million Samsung smartphones.
Xiaomi came in third, shipping 145.9 million smartphones last year, followed by OPPO (103.1 million) and Transsion (94.9 million).
‘The overall shift in ranking at the top of the market further highlights the intensity of competition within the smartphone market,’ said Ryan Reith, group vice president with IDC’s Worldwide Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers.
‘Apple certainly played a part in Samsung’s drop in rank, but the overall Android space is diversifying within itself.
‘Huawei is back and making inroads quickly within China, Brands like OnePlus, Honor, Google, and others are launching very competitive devices in the lower price range of the high end.
‘And foldables and increased discussions around AI capabilities on the smartphone are gaining traction.’
Overall, total global smartphone shipments in 2023 were 3.2 per cent lower than in 2022, which the IDC claims is ‘driven largely by macroeconomic challenges’.
However, things are looking up, with growth in the second half of the year ‘cementing the expected recovery for 2024’.
‘The smartphone space is headed towards a very interesting time,’ Mr Reith added.
While Samsung has taken the top spot every year since 2010, it was finally knocked off its pedestal by Apple in 2023
The new figures come shortly after Apple shares slumped four per cent, following ‘lacklustre’ iPhone 15 sales.
Paolo Pescatore, an analyst at PP Foresight, thinks Apple’s lacklustre iPhone sales globally may be due to users keeping their older devices for longer.
Some Apple fans likely see the iPhone 15 as having minor changes compared with the iPhone 14 and therefore not worth spending money on.
The biggest change on the iPhone 15 compared with its predecessor was the new charging cable – USB-C instead of Lightning – but this was hardly that exciting for consumers.
‘Convincing users to fork out for new devices every year is not easy for any provider in light of ongoing economic uncertainty,’ Pescatore told MailOnline.
‘People are now more wary of their disposable income and are keeping devices for longer as well as giving them to other members of the family.’
THE TRILLION DOLLAR RISE OF APPLE
1976: Founders Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne created the company on April 1 1976 as they set about selling computer kits to hobbyists, each of which was built by Wozniak.
The first product was the Apple I.
1977: Apple released the Apple II in June, which was the first PC made for the mass market.
Steve Jobs unveils Apple Computer Corporation’s new Macintosh February 6, 1984 in California.
1981: Jobs became chairman.
1984: The Macintosh was introduced during an ad break for the Super Bowl and later officially unveiled during a launch event. It was discontinued a year later and Jobs left the firm.
1987: Apple released the Macintosh II, the first colour Mac.
1997: Apple announces it will acquire NeXT software in a $400 million deal that involves Jobs returning to Apple as interim CEO. He officially took the role in 2000.
The then Chief Executive Officer of Apple, Steve Jobs, with the iPhone
2001: Apple introduced iTunes, OS X and the first-generation iPod.
The first iPod MP3 music player was released on October 23, 2001, at an event in Cupertino and was able to hold up to 1,000 songs.
2007: Apple unveils the iPhone.
2010: The first iPad was unveiled.
2011: Jobs resigned in 2011 due to illness, handing the CEO title to Tim Cook. Jobs died in October from pancreatic cancer.
2014: Apple unveiled the Apple Watch. It also unveiled its first larger iPhones – the 6 and 6 Plus.
2015: After purchasing Beats from Dr Dre, Apple launched Apple Music to compete with Spotify and other music streaming services.
2016: Apple returned to its roots and announced the 4-inch iPhone SE. Meanwhile, the firm is embroiled in a legal battle with the FBI, involving the agency demanding access to the locked phone used by Syed Farook, who died in a shootout after carrying out a deadly December attack in San Bernardino, California with his wife. The court order was dropped on March 28 after the FBI said a third party was able to unlock the device.
2017: Apple introduces the iPhone X, which removes the home button to make way for a futuristic edge-to-edge screen design and a new FaceID system that uses advanced sensors and lasers to unlock phones with just the owner’s face.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs speaks at an Apple event at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, Calif.
2018: In a first for the company, Apple introduces new features in its latest operating system, iOS 12, that encourage users to manage and spend less time on their devices. The move was spawned by a strongly worded letter from shareholders that urged the firm to address the growing problem of smartphone addiction among kids and teenagers.
2019: In January, Apple reports its first decline in revenues and profits in a decade. CEO Tim Cook partly blamed steep declines in revenue from China.
2020: In March, Apple closes all its bricks and mortar retail stores outside of China in response to coronavirus.
2021: In an online virtual event in April CEO Tim Cook declared Apple’s goal of becoming carbon neutral for Earth Day. Later in the year the iPhone 13 was announced.
2022: In September the iPhone 14 was announced. One of the new features included a new sensor to detect if a user had been in a car crash as well as an improved camera system.
2023: So far this year Apple has brought back its ‘Home Pod’ after the first generation was discontinued. The ‘Home Pod’ can be seen as an alternative to Amazon’s Alexa or Google Home as it is powered by voice commands.
