Samsung has regained its position as the world’s leading smartphone vendor, overtaking Apple. This shift in rankings is less about popularity and more about release cycles. Samsung’s rise to the top spot is attributed to the launch of its latest Galaxy S24 models.
In February 2024, Samsung captured a 20% share of the market, selling 19.69 million units across its entire range. In contrast, Apple, which held the top spot in smartphone sales in September 2023, secured an 18% market share, selling 17.41 million iPhones.
The roles between the two tech giants have now reversed, with Samsung selling 6.53 million units of the Galaxy S24 so far. Based on data from January 2024, Samsung’s share of the US market rose from 20% to 36%, while Apple’s share dropped from 64% to 48% in its post-holiday, post-launch stage in the cycle.
Despite the cyclical nature of these rankings, Apple’s achievement of holding the top spot over the entirety of 2023 is significant. This is because Samsung typically has an advantage over Apple as it offers a wider range of smartphone models at different price points. However, overall smartphone sales have been declining worldwide, particularly in China. Despite this, Apple still topped the chart in Japan in the latest figures from March 2024.
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