Apple's smartphone shipments dropped about 10% in the first quarter of 2024, hurt by intensifying competition by Android smartphone makers aiming for the top spot, data from research firm IDC showed on Sunday.
Global smartphone shipments increased 7.8% to 289.4 million
units during January-March, with Samsung, at 20.8% market share, clinching the
top phonemaker spot from Apple.
The iPhone-maker's steep sales decline comes after its
strong performance in the December quarter when it overtook Samsung as the
world's No.1 phone maker. It's back to the second spot, with 17.3% market
share, as Chinese brands such as Huawei gain market share.
Xiaomi, one of China's top smartphone makers, occupied the
third position with a market share of 14.1% during the first quarter.
South Korea's Samsung, which launched its latest flagship
smartphone lineup - Galaxy S24 series - in the beginning of the year, shipped
more than 60 million phones during the period.
Global sales of Galaxy S24 smartphones jumped 8%, compared
to last year's Galaxy S23 series during their first three weeks of
availability, data provider Counterpoint previously said.
In the first quarter, Apple shipped 50.1 million iPhones,
down from 55.4 million units it shipped same period last year, according to
IDC.
Apple's smartphone shipments in China shrank 2.1% in the
final quarter of 2023 from a year earlier.
The drop underscores the challenges facing the U.S. firm in
its third biggest market, as some Chinese companies and government agencies
limit employees' use of Apple devices, a measure that mirrors U.S. government
restrictions on Chinese apps on security grounds.
The Cupertino, California-based company in June will hold
its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), where it will highlight updates to
the software powering iPhones, iPads, and other Apple devices.
Investors are closely watching for updates on artificial
intelligence development at Apple, which has so far spoken little about
incorporating the AI technology into its devices. The company earlier this year
lost the crown as the world's most valuable company to Microsoft. -Reuters