Technology market analysis firm Canalys has just released a report on the number of smartphones shipped globally from July to September 2024, estimated at 300 million units, an increase of 5% over the same period last year.
This is the fourth consecutive quarter of increased smartphone shipments, with the main growth drivers being Europe, North America and China.
Apple and Samsung both have 18% market share in Q3/2024.
Samsung's market share fell from 21% in Q2/2024 to 18% in Q3, while Apple's increased from 17% to 18%.
Xiaomi ranked 3rd, accounting for 14% of the global smartphone market share from July 1 to September 30, 2024.
Oppo and Vivo are the remaining 2 brands in the Top 5, each with 9% market share.
“Continued strong demand for the iPhone 15 series, along with Apple’s older models, played a key role in the company’s third-quarter performance.
The market shift towards premium devices, combined with the constant refresh cycle of devices purchased during the pandemic, is benefiting Apple, especially in the company's strong regions such as North America and Europe,” said Runar Bjørhovde, an analyst at Canalys.
According to him, Apple's product diversification has played an important role in reducing delivery times.
While the iPhone 16 is off to a slow start, the lineup is expected to boost Apple's sales as 2024 winds down and maintain that momentum through the first half of 2025.
This is further reinforced as Apple Intelligence enters new markets and adds support for more languages.
Canalys predicts Apple will overtake Samsung in Q4 2024 when the real impact of the iPhone 16 launch begins to take effect.
Xiaomi is also a phone company to watch in Q4. It has just launched the Redmi Note 14 series in China and is preparing to launch the Xiaomi 15 series in the domestic market. A global release is also expected soon.
The latest analysis from Canalys shows that the gap between the world's top five smartphone makers is narrowing, making competition fiercer than ever.
According to forecasts from other market research companies, Apple could become the world's largest smartphone manufacturer by 2025.
The jump was driven by the launch of the iPhone SE 4, priced at $499, along with continued shipments of older iPhone models in emerging markets like India.
