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Apple reigns supreme, but Chinese smartphone OEMs are closing the gap
The global smartphone market saw a 7% growth in 2024, with 1.22 billion units shipped, according to recent data from Canalys. This rebound follows two years of decline.
At the top of the list, not much has changed. Apple continues to reign supreme in global smartphone sales, with Samsung in second place achieving very similar figures (only 3 million units shipped difference).
What is most striking about this annual report is the clear dominance of China in the global smartphone market. China’s leading manufacturers experienced double-digit growth last year, and it is also the country where there has been the strongest recovery, as although Apple and Samsung remained at the top, they both saw a slight decline, both by around -1%.
Overall, Chinese brands Realme, Huawei, Lenovo, Honor, Vivo, Oppo and Xiaomi have grown in sales volume year-on-year.
Particularly noteworthy is the case of Huawei, which achieved growth of almost 36%, followed by Lenovo, which grew by 23%, and Xiaomi with 15%. China’s momentum in the technology industry is giving much to talk about around the world, and the mobile market is no exception.
The most surprising case has been that of Transsion, an emerging manufacturer not well known in the West, has placed in the global top 4 for the first time in history with a global share of 9%, only below Apple, Samsung and Xiaomi; surpassing more recognized brands such as Oppo, which ranked 5th with an 8% share.
The growth in demand for Chinese smartphones last year has been key to the market’s recovery and Chinese manufacturers are gaining strength.
It is no surprise that the best-selling smartphone of 2024 was an Apple phone.
The iPhone 15 ranked at the top of the best-selling models globally, followed by the iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro Max. A lower-end smartphone, Samsung’s Galaxy A15, ranked fourth, but just below completed the top the iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16.
The ranking leaves Apple looking very good, especially considering that the iPhone 16 series was released at the end of September.
2025 could be a big year for the smartphone industry. The recent launch of the Samsung Galaxy S25, the imminent arrival of the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, and the upcoming launches expected at the upcoming MWC 2025 could keep the industry vital this year.
“Emerging markets have been the growth driver for the industry in 2024,” said Runar Bjørhovde, analyst at Canalys. Economic fluctuations, potential U.S. tariffs and compliance requirements add more unpredictability to market dynamics, but overall a great year is expected for the industry,” added Bjørhovde.
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