Apple repeats as the top global smartphone manufacturer in 2024 and this iPhone model was number one
Thanks to a strong fourth quarter led by the iPhone 16 series, Apple managed to top Samsung and repeat as the top smartphone manufacturer in the world for 2024. And if that wasn't enough for the gang in Cupertino to smile about, the iPhone 15 was the most shipped smartphone last year garnering a 3% share of all smartphone shipments throughout 2024. We will start with the fourth quarter of last year, a period that included the holiday shopping season and early shipments of the iPhone 16 series.
From October through the end of last year, Apple shipped 77.1 million iPhone units worldwide which was one million fewer phones than it delivered during the fourth quarter of the previous year. The iPhone captured 23% of the global market during the quarter, slightly less than the 24% share it collected during the 2023 fourth quarter. Samsung delivered 25.2 million fewer phones shipping a total of 51.9 million units worldwide. Sammy's global market share of the smartphone market dropped from 17% to 16% during Q4 of last year.
Top smartphone brands by global shipments during Q4, 2024. | Image credit-Canaly
Xiaomi was one of just two phone manufacturers that increased the number of phones it delivered during the last three months of 2024. The money for value company shipped 42.7 million phones in Q4 2024, up two million units from the same quarter in 2023. That allowed it to keep its market share flat at 13%. China's Transsion was next as during the October-December quarter of 2024, it delivered 27.2 million phones down 1.3 million year-over-year. Its market share declined to 8% from 9%.
Top smartphone brands by global shipments for 2024. | Image credit-Canalys
vivo also scored an increase in Q4 phone shipments from 23.9 million to 26.4 million as its global share rose to 8% from 7% on an annual basis. The vivo X100 series, powered by the Dimensity 9300 application processor, was a big hit. Overall, 328 million smartphones were shipped worldwide over the final quarter of 2024 compared to the 319.2 million delivered during the same quarter in 2023, a 2.8% increase.
For all of 2024, Apple and Samsung were engaged in a tight battle. Apple shipped 3 million more phones to take the top spot for the second consecutive year. Both manufacturers had 18% of the global smartphone market as Apple shipped 225.9 million iPhones for the year compared to Samsung's 222.9 million. We wouldn't give Apple Intelligence credit here, not only because Apple topped Samsung in 2023 without its AI features available, but also because the iPhone 15 was the most shipped phone in 2024. That model does not support Apple Intelligence.
Top smartphones by global shipments in 2024 and 2023. | Image credit-Canalys
While the iPhone 15 accounted for 3% of all smartphones shipped globally last year, the iPhone 16 Pro Max was next (impressive considering the short time it was available during 2024) followed by the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Samsung's mid-range Galaxy A15 was fourth and the iPhone 16 Pro rounded out the top five.
"For the full year 2024, iPhone shipments declined by 1% to 225.9 million units. Samsung followed closely in second amid its continued profitability focus, as its shipments also declined by 1% to 222.9 million units. Xiaomi maintained a stronghold on the third spot, being the biggest contributor to the industry’s volume growth in 2024. Driven by strong momentum in Mainland China and continued strategic expansion into emerging markets, its shipments grew by a strong 15% to 168.6 million units. TRANSSION claimed the fourth spot for the very first time while OPPO (including OnePlus) rounded off the top five, growing 15% and 3% to 106.7 million and 103.6 million units, respectively."-Canalys
For all of 2024, the number of smartphones shipped worldwide hit 1.22 billion units. The 7% year-over-year gain came after two consecutive years of lower shipments.
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