Samsung continues to lead as the best-selling OEM for the third quarter, although its lead over Apple has significantly narrowed. Samsung’s market share saw a slight decline of 2 percentage points. Apple trailed closely behind, just one percentage point shy of Samsung, benefitting from strong sales driven by the debut of new models and strategic shipments of older units to markets such as India.
In third place, Xiaomi was 4 percentage points behind the top spot. Chinese manufacturers Xiaomi, Oppo, and vivo employed varied strategies to boost their shipments. Xiaomi focused on its open market presence and brand stores.
Oppo found success by rebranding its A3 series, particularly in Southeast Asia within the $100-$200 price segment. Vivo, on the other hand, expanded its presence across multiple markets with its V40 lineup.
Samsung retains top spot narrowly
Regions such as the Asia Pacific and Latin America experienced the largest increases in shipments, outperforming the overall market. This surge was driven by intensified price competition and channel incentives, especially in the entry-level segment. However, while affordable phones are crucial for maintaining volume and market share, inflationary pressures pose a challenge to company profitability.
Looking ahead, expectations for 2025 are cautiously optimistic. While mature markets like the US, China, and Western Europe are expected to see growth in the premium segment through AI-driven devices, companies like vivo and Honor are expanding their mid-range portfolios. This includes innovative channel strategies such as pop-up stores and partnerships with carriers to capture upgrades from the $100-$200 price segment.
In other developments, Apple has been losing ground in China, while Huawei has seen a significant surge in the same market. This shifting landscape continues to shape the competitive dynamics within the global smartphone industry.
