For almost a decade, Samsung has held the title of the world’s largest smartphone brand. However, in recent years, its market share has been shrinking, and it has faced significant competition, primarily from Apple. In the first quarter of 2023, the global market share difference between Apple and Samsung was a mere 1%.
All About the Samsung’s Global Market Battle
Based on the latest figures from Counterpoint Research, Samsung retained its position as the leading smartphone brand worldwide, with a 22% market share. The successful global sales of the Galaxy S23 series, which was launched in February, contributed to Samsung’s continued dominance.
Interestingly, reports indicate that the Galaxy S23 series outperformed its predecessor, the Galaxy S22 series, in terms of sales. Notably, Samsung performs exceptionally well in the European market, even though smartphone sales in the region experienced a significant decline of 41%.
In contrast, Apple maintained a 21% market share during the same period, despite the fact that their phones generally have higher price points compared to other brands. Xiaomi captured an 11% share of the global smartphone market, while OPPO, Vivo, and Honor claimed market shares of 10%, 7%, and 5%, respectively. During the first quarter of 2023, global smartphone sales reached a staggering figure of over 280 million units. This reflects a 7% decrease compared to the preceding quarter and a significant 14% decline compared to the corresponding period in 2022.
Among the top five smartphone brands in terms of shipments, Apple experienced the smallest decline, achieving its highest-ever numbers for the first quarter of a year. OnePlus emerged as the fastest-growing brand among the top ten smartphone brands.
Looking ahead to the second quarter of 2023, Samsung may face challenges in maintaining its number-one position, as the company typically experiences lower sales during this period due to the absence of new phone launches. However, Samsung plans to release the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and the Galaxy Z Fold 5 in the coming week, which are expected to boost sales shortly after their release.
