In a nutshell: Apple and Samsung have been the best-selling smartphone producers within the first quarter of 2024, collectively occupying each spot on Counterpoint’s newest international high 10 record. iPhones captured 4 of the highest 5 positions, conceding solely the fifth spot to Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Extremely. On the high of the stack is the iPhone 15 Professional Max. In accordance with the report, that is the primary non-seasonal quarter wherein a Professional Max variant reached the highest of the hill.
Samsung’s Galaxy A15 5G completed in sixth place, simply forward of the Galaxy A54. Apple’s iPhone 15 Plus got here in eighth place, and it was two Samsung telephones – the Galaxy S24 and the Galaxy A32 – that rounded out the highest 10 in ninth and tenth place, respectively.
The record is noteworthy for a number of causes. It is the primary time that all the high 10 best-selling telephones in 1 / 4 are 5G succesful, and highlights a rising shopper shift in the direction of premium units (seven of the highest 10 units have a wholesale value of at the very least $600).
All 4 iPhone 15 fashions made the highest 10, and three of them made it to the rostrum. The Professional lineup was liable for half of Apple’s complete gross sales within the quarter – up from simply 24 p.c within the year-ago quarter – seemingly validating Apple’s initiative to additional differentiate them from base mannequin iPhones by way of premium options like the most recent processors and higher digicam programs.
Samsung’s newest Galaxy S24 lineup additionally had a powerful displaying throughout the quarter. Counterpoint attributed this to the corporate’s early refresh of the sequence in addition to being among the many first to ship units with generative AI options and capabilities.
Appetites for premium smartphones are a little bit of a double-edged sword, nonetheless. Some patrons are justifying their high-end purchases by hanging on to their units longer and never upgrading as usually as they could beforehand have. Coupled with the final slowdown of innovation we have seen within the smartphone house in recent times and additional saturation, the present state of affairs is not all that stunning.
Picture credit score: Ana Quirosa