Apple Overtakes Samsung in Global Shipments, Plans Camera Upgrades for iPhone 16 Series

A drop in smartphone demand did not shake Apple's resolve or the sales momentum of its iPhones because, according to the most recent data, the California-based giant achieved one milestone that had taken the company 13 years to achieve since the launch of the first iPhone: overtaking its closest competitor, Samsung, in global smartphone shipments.

Apple Finally Dethrones Samsung

While unforeseen surprises await in 2024, IDC data shows that Apple dominated several markets in 2023, shipping an estimated 234.6 million units. The current figure reflects a 3.7 percent increase over last year when Apple shipped an estimated 226.3 million handsets.

For instance, Samsung shipped 226.6 million devices last year, a decrease from 262.2 million units in 2022 due to a global economic recession, as buyers prioritize other expenses over upgrading to pricey or midrange handsets. According to Nabila Popal, research director with IDC's Worldwide Tracker team, Apple attained its new position while facing opposition from Huawei, as the Chinese smartphone maker has recently made a comeback in its home market, generating problems for competitors.

“While we saw some strong growth from low-end Android players like Transsion and Xiaomi in the second half of 2023, stemming from rapid growth in emerging markets, the biggest winner is clearly Apple. Not only is Apple the only player in the Top 3 to show positive growth annually, but also bags the number 1 spot annually for the first time ever. All this despite facing increased regulatory challenges and renewed competition from Huawei in China, its largest market. Apple’s ongoing success and resilience is in large part due to the increasing trend of premium devices, which now represent over 20% of the market, fueled by aggressive trade-in offers and interest-free financing plans,” Nabila stated.

With the release of the iPhone 15, Apple provided more exclusive upgrades, with the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max being the more appealing options due to their new 3nm A17 Pro SoC, titanium alloy finish, camera upgrades, and, of course, the tetraprism telephoto lens that is exclusive to the “Pro Max” variant.

Apple Eyes Camera Upgrade for iPhone 16 Series Amid Samsung S24 Launch

According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 15 Pro Max will remain the most popular model in the series, accounting for up to 45% of total shipments in the first half of 2024. The business also plans to introduce its tetraprism camera improvement to the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, providing users with relief because they will now have to pay less money to get the same functionality that was previously only available on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, as per WCCFTech.

However, Samsung is not sitting idly by, as its Galaxy S24 launch begins tomorrow, so we'll see how the Korean giant's flagship devices, combined with other obstacles, end up being a thorn in Apple's side. As always, we'll see how different smartphone manufacturers fare in the coming quarter.

Photo: Niccolò Chiamori/Unsplash