Caixin April 15th (Editor Zhou Ziyi) The global smartphone industry is rebounding, but Apple is experiencing a setback. A report from the International Data Corporation (IDC) shows that Apple's global iPhone shipments in the first three months of 2024 decreased by 9.6% compared to the same period in 2023.
One of the reasons for the decline in Apple's first-quarter shipments is its "bump" in the Chinese market. Facing competition from rivals such as Huawei, iPhone sales in China have suffered a significant blow.
Along with dismal shipment numbers, Apple has also handed over the top spot it just won at the end of 2023. IDC's data indicates that South Korea's Samsung Electronics replaced Apple as the world's largest smartphone supplier in the first quarter of 2024.
However, global smartphone shipments grew by 7.8% year-on-year in the first quarter, marking the third consecutive quarter of growth and indicating a broader industry recovery.
Domestic smartphone brand Xiaomi performed exceptionally well in the first quarter, ranking third globally with shipments of 40.8 million units, just behind Apple, and registering a year-on-year growth of 33.8%. OPPO, on the other hand, ranked fifth in shipments, experiencing an 8.5% decline year-on-year.
Notably, domestic mobile phone manufacturer Transsion Holdings emerged as a true dark horse, with first-quarter shipments reaching 28.5 million units, surpassing OPPO and boasting an astonishing year-on-year growth rate of 84.9%. While Transsion may not enjoy significant recognition in the domestic market, it primarily targets overseas markets, especially Africa, where it commands over 50% market share.
Ryan Reith, Vice President of IDC's Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers Group, commented, "As expected, the recovery in the smartphone market continues to progress, with optimism building slowly among the top brands... Xiaomi's strong comeback from significant declines over the past two years, and Transsion's steady climb into the top five while actively growing in international markets, contrasts with the negative growth seen by the top two giants in the first quarter, although Samsung seems to be in a stronger position overall compared to the past few quarters."
Reith added, "Considering Huawei's recovery in China, along with the notable rebounds of Xiaomi, Transsion, OPPO/OnePlus, and Vivo, Samsung and Apple may seek diversification into more varied areas."
