Smartphone market grows for the fourth time in a row
According to IDC, smartphone sales figures have risen for the fourth time in a row. The market is polarizing – mid-range phones are falling behind.
Samsung continues to hold the top position in the smartphone market.
(Image: PixieMe/Shutterstock.com)
The smartphone market grew by 6.5% in the past quarter compared to the previous year, according to an analysis published by market researchers at IDC on Monday. This is the fourth quarter in a row in which the smartphone market has grown. It is thus gradually recovering from its weakness in previous years.
According to IDC's preliminary market results, a total of 285 million smartphones were sold in the past second quarter. After Apple had temporarily sold the most new devices in 2023 and overtaken Samsung, the South Korean company regained the top position it had held for years in 2024.
In the second quarter, Samsung was able to secure its lead, but not extend it: With just under 54 million smartphones sold worldwide, Samsung was responsible for 18.9 percent of smartphones sold in the second quarter. Apple sold 45 million iPhones, which corresponds to a market share of 15.8 percent.
| Company |
2Q24 Deliveries [in millions] |
2Q24 Market share |
2Q23 Deliveries [in millions] |
2Q23 Market share | 2Q24/2Q23 Growth |
| 1. Samsung | 53.9 | 18.9% | 53.5 | 20.0% | 0.7% |
| 2. Apple | 45.2 | 15.8% | 44.5 | 16.6% | 1.5% |
| 3. Xiaomi | 42.3 | 14.8% | 33.2 | 12.4% | 27.4% |
| 4. vivo | 25.9 | 9.1% | 21.3 | 7.9% | 21.9% |
| 4. OPPO | 25.8 | 9.0% | 25.4 | 9.5% | 1.8% |
| Others | 92.1 | 32.3% | 90.1 | 33.6% | 2.3% |
|
Total |
285.4 | 100.0% | 268.0 | 100.0% | 6.5% |
Mid-range is falling behind
Xiaomi follows in third place in the smartphone rankings with a market share of 14.8 percent, ahead of Vivo and Oppo with 9 percent each. Other smartphone brands are no longer listed in the IDC statistics, but together they account for just over 30%. "The growth in the second quarter of 2024 has further relieved the pressure on manufacturers, but the recovery is still slow," said IDC researcher Will Wong.
Videos by heise
One trend that the IDC market researchers have noticed is the ongoing polarization of the market: both premium devices and entry-level smartphones are becoming more popular. While Apple and Samsung are battling it out in the high-end market, many Chinese brands are targeting the market for entry-level phones, according to IDC. Mid-range devices are falling behind, the market researchers write. However, the report does not provide exact figures.
(dahe)
