Samsung and Apple lead third quarter smartphone shipments

Global smartphone shipments have grown 5% year-on-year during the third quarter of 2024, Canalys has reported. Notably, this is the strongest Q3 performance since 2021 and was driven by "refreshed portfolios from smartphone brands".

Leading the shipments from Samsung which shipped 57.5 million devices, Apple retained second place with 54.5 million unit shipments, Xiaomi held third with 42.8 million shipments, and OPPO and vivo were fourth and fifth at 28.6 million and 27.2 million units shipped.

Canalys said that Samsung was bolstered by a streamlined entry-level lineup while Apple's shipments were driven by the iPhone 16's strong debut in emerging markets "from narrower hardware gaps between base and Pro models".

Here is a full breakdown of the shipments:

Discussing Apple's situation, Canalys Analyst Le Xuan Chiew said:

"Apple achieved record Q3 shipments, driven by a strategic blend of channel and supply chain optimizations. Post-WWDC’s Apple Intelligence announcements, consumers are actively upgrading from older iPhone 12 and 13 models to embrace this new technology. Moreover, Apple’s diversified iPhone production, notably in India, has significantly reduced lead times, streamlining pre-order fulfillment and stimulating local demand through competitive pricing. Supplementary production of previous-generation iPhones, such as the iPhone 13 and 15, in India has further bolstered Apple’s operator channel shipments into the US and Europe, enabling it to reclaim market share in the mid-range segment and capitalize on replacement demand. Nevertheless, it is vital to note the geopolitical obstacles, and the delayed deployment of Apple Intelligence may substantially hinder Apple’s performance both in the festive fourth quarter and in 2025."

With the US elections coming up and the chance of Donald Trump being elected with his pro-tariff program, it'll be interesting to see what happens with the Chinese smartphone brands especially.