Despite a 30 per cent decline in sales, Samsung remains the global leader in smartphone shipments, underscoring its sustained market presence amid intense competition.
For 15 years, Samsung and Apple have been the two largest smartphone manufacturers, each commanding over 20 per cent of the global market. While Apple’s strategy revolves around a tightly integrated ecosystem, Samsung caters to a broader audience with its diverse Android-powered offerings. This competition has fuelled fierce brand loyalty and continuous innovation on both sides.
According to IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, Samsung’s shipments reached 3.1 billion over the past decade, significantly outpacing Apple’s 2.3 billion. To put the figures into perspective, Samsung’s shipment surplus of 730 million devices is equivalent to covering the entire population of North America, and nearly that of Europe.
Yet, this lead comes in the face of Samsung’s 30 per cent decline in annual smartphone sales over the past decade. The South Korean company shipped 223.5 million devices in 2024, a stark contrast to the 318.1 million shipped in 2014—a decrease of nearly 95 million units. This downturn stems from Samsung’s strategic pivot away from budget-friendly models towards premium offerings like the Galaxy S and Z series. Additionally, growing competition from Chinese manufacturers such as Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo has further eroded Samsung’s foothold in key markets.
While Jobs' Mob has consistently trailed Samsung in shipment volume, its strategy of heavy marketing to people who don't know better, and longer upgrade cycles has contributed to a steady rise in sales. The company’s increasing presence in emerging markets like India has further bolstered its numbers, with annual iPhone shipments rising by 18 per cent over the past decade—equating to 35 million more units sold each year.
Meanwhile, Samsung’s market share has contracted over the last ten years. In Q4 2024, Samsung held 15.6 per cent of the global smartphone market, down from 16.4 per cent the previous year and marking a significant decline from its position a decade ago. In total, Samsung has lost 5.8 per cent of its market share over the past ten years, a decline exacerbated by fierce competition from Chinese smartphone brands.
Conversely, Jobs' Mob's market share has grown by 4.5 per cent over the same period, even as both companies faced intensified challenges from lower-cost alternatives. Apple ended 2024 with a strong 23.2 per cent market share, only slightly down from 24.7 per cent in Q4 2023.
The full story, including graphs and detailed statistics, is available at Techgaged.
