Huawei, Oppo, vivo, and Xiaomi showed strong growth in the smartphone market despite global challenges, according to market intelligence firm International Data Corp. (IDC). However, the Korean tech brand Samsung still holds the top spot, with Apple (iPhone) following in second.
IDC data show that global smartphone shipments increased by 4.0% year over year to 316.1 million units in the third quarter of 2024 (3Q24).
“The growth among vendors was uneven. While some companies grappled with elevated Bill-of-Materials (BOM) costs, others benefited from favorable exchange rates in emerging markets like Southeast Asia,” said Will Wong, senior research manager for AP Client Devices.
Apple’s slower entry into the AI game seems to have paid off, as the brand saw a 3.5% year-over-year growth in shipments for the quarter. Aggressive marketing around Apple Intelligence boosted sales for the iPhone 15, and loyal customers didn’t hesitate to pay for the newly released iPhone 16.
“Despite the staggered rollout of Apple Intelligence in markets outside the United States, Apple is poised to continue growing during the upcoming holiday season, as many customers are expected to upgrade from the iPhone 13, iPhone 12, and older models to a new AI-driven smartphone, future-proofing their purchases for the long term,” said Nabila Popal, research director for Worldwide Client Devices.
Samsung, meanwhile, is reaping the benefits of being an early AI adopter with the launch of Galaxy AI. While the company saw a decline in the total number of units shipped, it maintains the top position due to its premium segments and technological advancements.
“The company began rolling out Galaxy AI features to other Samsung models and launched the new Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6 foldables with Galaxy AI, which contributed to its strong performance in the premium segment,” said Francisco Jeronimo, vice president for EMEA Client Devices.
The continued roll-out of Galaxy AI to older models may make them even more attractive to consumers.