Samsung’s domestic market share drops 13% in Q1, Apple gains 19%

NEW DELHI: Samsung lost nearly 13% of its market share in India in the first quarter of 2024 (calendar year) compared to the same period last year, while Apple increased its market share by 19% during the same period.

According to a report by IDC, South-Korean Samsung’s market share decreased from 20.1% to 15.6%, while iPhone maker Apple increased its market share from 6.8% to 7.3% in the first quarter. However, globally, Samsung still dominates, holding the top position with a 20.8% market share, followed closely by Apple with a 17.3% share. In the December 2023 quarter, Samsung lost its top position to Apple globally.

In India, Chinese mobile maker Vivo, with a 16.2% market share, emerged as the top brand, replacing Samsung, which fell to the second spot. Xiaomi, another Chinese mobile maker, grabbed the third spot with a 12.8% market share, while the fourth and fifth positions were taken by Oppo and Realme with 10.2% and 9.8% market shares, respectively. Apple holds the sixth position in India’s overall smartphone market share.

Overall, India’s smartphone market shipped 34 million units in the first quarter (Q1) of 2024, reflecting an 11.5% growth year-over-year (YoY). This marks the third consecutive quarter of growth of the mobile market. Among the top 10 brands, Motorola saw the highest growth, driven by launches of affordable phones, while Samsung witnessed declining shipments despite their new lineup.

“The first few months of the year have provided momentum for the smartphone market in India. However, the second half of the year will be crucial. IDC estimates a modest overall annual growth in the mid-single digits for 2024,” says Navkendar Singh, Associate Vice President, Devices Research, IDC.

In the first quarter of this year, 23 million 5G smartphones were shipped, and the share of 5G smartphone shipments increased to 69%, up from 46% in 1Q23. However, the ASPs (Average Selling Price) of 5G smartphones dropped to $337, a decline of 21% YoY.