Apple hasn’t exactly been struggling when it comes to smartphone sales in recent years, but it has taken a back seat to Samsung in terms of global market share. Not only had Samsung taken the lead, but Huawei was hot on its tail as well, which is why the latest quarterly results are so significant. According to research firm Strategy Analytics, Apple reclaimed its title as the top global smartphone vendor in the fourth quarter of 2019.
“Apple iPhone shipments rose 7 percent annually from 65.9 million units worldwide in Q4 2018 to 70.7 million in Q4 2019,” added Executive Director Neil Mawston. “This was Apple’s best growth performance since 2015. Apple’s global smartphone marketshare has lifted from 18 percent to 19 percent in the past year. Apple is recovering, due to cheaper iPhone 11 pricing and healthier demand in Asia and North America.”
Meanwhile, Samsung’s marketshare stayed flat at 18.4% from Q4 2018 to Q4 2019, while Huawei dipped from 16.1% to 15% over the same time period. While both vendors still topped Apple over the course of 2019, the Q4 turnaround for Apple was noteworthy, and shows how Apple could challenge Samsung and Huawei for the crown in 2020.
With 197.4 million shipments in 2019 compared to Huawei’s 240.5 million and Samsung’s 295.1 million, there is still plenty of work to do, but toppling both vendors in Q4 2019 is a great first step.
If the firm’s analysis is correct, and the low price of the iPhone 11 is the biggest factor in Apple’s success, then the rumored launch of an iPhone SE 2 (or iPhone 9) in the first half of 2020 could give Apple yet another boost over the competition, as the phone is expected to cost much less than a typical flagship.
