Global smartphone shipments saw a notable uptick of almost 8% in the first quarter of the year, as indicated by preliminary data from International Data Corp (IDC). This growth trend represents the third consecutive quarter of increased shipments, with a total of 289.4 million units being shipped during this period, as per IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker report. Notably, this quarter also witnessed the resurgence of Samsung, reclaiming the No. 1 spot in the smartphone market.
IDC's data reveals that Samsung topped the list with 60.1 million units shipped in the quarter, albeit showing a slight decline of about 0.7% compared to the previous year. Following closely behind was Apple, securing the second spot with 50.1 million units shipped, reflecting a 9.6% drop from the previous year. Notably, Apple had held the top position in the final quarter of 2023. Meanwhile, Xiaomi and Transsion, the third and fourth largest smartphone manufacturers, experienced significant jumps in their market shares by 34% and 85% respectively year over year.
In a statement by Nabila Popal, the research director at IDC’s Worldwide Tracker team, it was highlighted that the improvement in average selling prices is a notable trend. Popal noted that consumers are increasingly opting for more expensive devices, expecting to utilize them for longer periods, thus driving this shift in buying behavior.