Samsung Electronics tops global smartphone market share in Q1

Samsung Electronics Co.‘s Galaxy S23 series [Photo by Kim Ho-young]

Samsung Electronics Co. took back the top position in the global smartphone market in the first quarter thanks to strong sales of its Galaxy S23 flagship.

According to a report on global smartphone shipments in the first quarter by market analyst firm Canalys on Wednesday, Samsung‘s global market share was 22 percent, ahead of 21 percent share for Apple Inc.

In the fourth quarter, Apple accounted for 25 percent of the global market thanks to its launch of new iPhone 14 models at the beginning of the quarter, topping the global market share rankings. Samsung accounted for 20 percent of the market that quarter.

Looking into year-on-year data, Samsung’s share fell 2 percentage points, while Apple’s share grew by 3 percentage points. The gap between the two smartphone giants has narrowed to 1 percentage point, from 6 percentage points in the first quarter last year, which is unfavorable for Samsung given its general dominance in the first quarter and the latest release of its flagship Galaxy phone.

“Samsung was the only leading vendor to achieve quarter-on-quarter recovery and struggled back to number one,” Canalys said.

[Image captured from Canalys homepage]

Three Chinese smartphone makers followed the two giants in the first quarter market share rankings. Xiaomi Corp. accounted for 11 percent, Guangdong Oppo Mobile Telecommunications Corp. 10 percent, and Vivo Communication Technology Co. 8 percent.

Xiaomi’s share fell 2 percentage points year-on-year, while Oppo gained 1 percentage point in market share. Vivo’s share remained the same year-on-year.

Other manufacturers accounted for 28 percent of the global smartphone market, unchanged from a year ago.

The global smartphone market contracted 12 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, continuing a downtrend for five quarters in a row.

While still cautious about predicting any recovery in overall smartphone demand, the report listed a few positive factors for the market. “The sell-ion volume of the global smartphone market is expected to improve due to the reduction in inventories in the next few quarters,” Canalys said. “5G popularization and foldable phones are also becoming the new driving forces in the industry.”