Apple Ends the Year Strong with 27.7% Smartphone Market Share, 4.5% Ahead of Samsung

For almost 15 years, tech giants Apple and Samsung have been competing for the title of the world’s largest smartphone vendor. Samsung held the lead most of the time, but things changed in January 2023 when Apple took the top spot. Since then, the US tech titan has stayed ahead, holding the largest share of the global smartphone market for two years in a row.

According to data from Stocklytics.com, Apple is ending 2024 with a 27.7% smartphone market share, 4.5% more than Samsung.

Two Years of Apple Leading the Smartphone Market

Apple climbed to the top of the smartphone market thanks to the success of its premium iPhone models, especially the popular Pro versions. By focusing on high-quality features and seamless connection between its devices and keeping loyal customers, the US tech giant has outperformed Samsung, which sells more mid-range and budget phones. Furthermore, Apple has done better at managing supply issues and growing its presence in key markets like India, further fueling its growth in the competitive smartphone landscape.

Although the two companies are still competing, Apple continues to stay one step ahead. According to data from Stat Counter, Apple hit a 27.7% market share in November, marking its 24th month as the leader in the smartphone market, following years of Samsung dominance. Also, that is only 1.5% lower than Apple’s record 29.2% market share from December 2021. The Stat Counter data also show Apple’s market share has grown by 4.2% in the past decade, while its South Korean rival has been losing ground for quite a while now.

The last time Samsung led the market was in December 2022, with a 26.9% share, far below the 33% it held in 2019. As of last month, Samsung’s share dropped to 23.2%, showing a 7% drop in ten years. The IDC data show that the gap between Apple’s and Samsung’s smartphone shipments has also decreased significantly. In the first nine months of 2024, Apple shipped around 151 million smartphones, only 20 million less than Samsung, the smallest difference in the market’s history.

Chinese Brands Now Make Up a Third of Global Smartphone Sales

While Apple and Samsung lead the global market, Chinese brands Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and Realme have seen their sales skyrocket over the years, becoming serious competition to the two largest players.

A decade ago, these brands were barely known, but they’ve grown tremendously by offering powerful phones at lower prices, which makes them especially popular in countries where affordability is crucial. At the same time, tensions between Western countries and China have fueled their sales in the domestic market, one of the largest smartphone markets globally.

The Stat Counter data show Xiaomi now holds over 11% of global smartphone sales, more than double what it had seven years ago. Vivo, Oppo, and Realme follow with 5.9%, 5.7%, and 4.1%, respectively. Meanwhile, Huawei’s share has fallen to just 2.5%, a significant drop from the 10% it held four years ago.