Apple Inc.’s iPhone series was the best-selling smartphone internationally in 2023, surpassing Samsung Electronics Co., according to the International Data Corporation.
amsung holds a 19.4% market share, with Chinese smartphone makers Xiaomi, OPPO, and Transsion trailing behind.
Despite an overall decline in smartphone sales, compounded by pandemic-related issues, Apple’s performance stood out.
The IDC reported that around 1.2 billion smartphones were sold in 2023, a more than 3% decrease from the previous year and the lowest sales volume in a decade.
Economic uncertainty and rising interest rates drove consumers to practice financial caution. Nonetheless, industry experts predict a comeback in the smartphone market this year.
Despite the general drop, Apple was the standout performer, selling over 234 million phones last year.
The IDC labelled Apple “the biggest winner,” highlighting its positive annual growth and achieving the top rank for the first time.
Apple’s success coincides with rising regulatory difficulties and resurgent rivalry from Huawei in China, its largest market.
Huawei, facing constraints on obtaining processors using US technology, has begun developing its own chips.
Although Samsung traditionally holds the top position as the world’s largest producer of memory chips, smartphones, and televisions, it faces disappointing news as its profits are expected to drop amid weak global demand for consumer electronics.
The South Korean electronics giant faces stiff competition from more cost Android devices, particularly those from Transsion and Xiaomi, which are gaining popularity among budget-conscious consumers and emerging regions.
