Every pig gets its San MartÃn, Or at least that's what they say. At some point Apple should lose its leadership in the world of mobile phones, and it seems that it is close. Although we still do not have official data, the main analyst agencies in the world have already gotten wet with their estimates, which leave Samsung as the one that has sold the most mobile phones during the second quarter of the period analyzed. In total, it is estimated that the company could have exceeded the figure of 50 million devices sold during April, May and June, the vast majority, Android.
Apple, for its part, would remain as the second company in sales of mobile phones, but that's all according to analysts' data, as there are still no official confirmations from either company. However, what is noteworthy is that Apple's estimated sales figures are far from those of the South Korean company. And the fact is that Apple has managed to sell 30,5 million iPhone during the second quarter, which is almost 20 million less than Samsung, with fifty.
The truth is that what the South Koreans have achieved is brutal, and it shows that they are doing their job very well and creating a great brand imageWe say the latter because a large number of devices sold by South Koreans are of Midrange, and at those levels, the difference in quality between Samsung and other companies are not very large. Buyers opt for trusted brands and, usually, those that have high-end mobiles of good reputation, although that has nothing to do with the mobile phone they are going to buy. Models like isolate and deprive Galaxy (S II, S III, Note or Y) acted as a showcase for the brand and pulled the catalogue.
It is certainly great news for Samsung, who sees how its growth is not a simple bubble, but that it is growing consistently, as when broke sales records in Spain. They are increasingly focusing on manufacture your own components And that could be, in the long run, a life insurance policy. The less they depend on others, the more the potential collateral damage is reduced. And in the world of Android smartphones, this could be very significant, since all manufacturers depend on Google as the creator of the operating system, and this, in turn, determines the quality with which the companies manufacture. Therefore, so to speak, part of the success of a manufacturer also depends on the success of the other companies selling it, although it may seem paradoxical. To better understand this, the more Android phones it sells LG, Sony, HTC, Huawei or ZTE, the more this operating system will spread and, therefore, more mobile phones Samsung with Android they will be sold, because they will be more striking.
We will see if the figures finally fit with the analysts' forecasts and the forecasts are fulfilled, thus placing Samsung as the manufacturer that sold the most mobile phones during the period analyzed.
What analysts say: shipments, quotas and profits
Strategy Analytics and other firms agree on the Korean company's jump in different quarters: Samsung smartphone shipments reached 44,5 million in a quarter with a growth of 253% year-on-year and, in another, they reached 76 million, raising its share to nearly 33%, while Apple hovered around 31-35 million with a decrease in its share towards 14%In global mobile phones (not just smartphones), Samsung reached 93,5 million of units surpassing Nokia, breaking a historic streak of more than a decade from the Finnish manufacturer.
In another quarter, sources such as KBS World Radio They placed Samsung at nearly 55 million of smartphones and a share of around 32,5%, ahead of Apple (around 23,6 million y 14% market share), and also dominating the total phone market with nearly 22,9%. These figures reflect the effect of a broad portfolio covering high, mid and entry range.
The market is cyclical and competitive. Gartner Research reached a quarter in which Apple sold some 74,8 million and slightly surpassed Samsung (about 73 million), demonstrating that leadership can vary depending on launches and availability. At the same time, the push from Chinese brands low cost like Xiaomi or Huawei put pressure on margins and forced everyone to adjust strategy.
In profitability, Samsung reported significant increases: it added around 4.500 million to its net profit in a quarter, a jump close to 73% year-on-year, driven by the high endIn another period, it recorded around 4.900 millones de euros of net profit, a 75,5% more than the previous year, with warnings of deceleration in developed markets but greater traction in emerging markets with more affordable smartphones and greater demand for tablets.
Analysts also highlighted the fall of the half price: iPhone ASP dropped from around 613 a $581 according to IDG, and the global market grew from around 450 a $375, reflecting the maturity of the sector. In parallel, Samsung shares rose by around 12% In recent periods, while Apple's fell by about 20%, sharing between both near the 60% of the smartphone market.
In the most recent data from firms such as IDC y Counterpoint A recovering market is observed: global shipments grew by almost a 7,8% until it is situated around 289,4 million of units in a recent quarter. In that same period, Samsung led with approximately 20,8% of quota and some 60,1 million of distributed telephones, while Apple reached close to 17,3% and some 50,1 millionAmong the actors that are making the most progress, the following stand out: Xiaomi with around 40,8 million (around 14,1%), as well as Transsion (about 28,5 million y 9,9%) and OPPO (some 25,2 million y 8,7%), consolidating competitive pressure in the mid-range and entry-level segments.
Successful model: high-end, patents and flagship effect
The push came from the flagships. The Galaxy S II exceeded the 10 million in just five months and the Galaxy S III came to dethrone the iPhone 4S in sales in EE. UU in a specific period, something unprecedented until then. In a key quarter, Samsung placed around 50,2 million of smartphones, a 172,8% year-on-year and almost double that of Apple in the same period, according to Canaccord Genuity and IDC.
This leadership coexisted with legal battles global. There were attempts to stop sales of the iPhone that did not prosper in Italy, France or the Netherlands, while Apple obtained injunctions in Australia, Germany and the Netherlands. Disputes about design were more complex due to the differentiation of the S III (format and screen), while those of with (such as zoom gestures or visual effects) generated more friction. Still, analysts agreed that these disputes did not weigh down appreciably Samsung's results.
The Korean telecommunications area came to double profits until exceeding the 2.200 million in some periods, confirming that the binomial own hardware + scale generates cost and margin advantages. In parallel, the showcase of Mobile World Congress It has established itself as an ideal location for displaying cards, while Apple concentrates its ads in separate windows.
The recent strategy reinforces that pattern: the series Galaxy S24 has boosted demand by relying on AI functions useful (such as generative editing, contextual search or chat assistants) and in a catalog that covers all segments, and in previous models such as the Galaxy Edge S6 which achieved good sales results. At the same time, the value figures show a different reading from the volume: in a recent quarter, Apple monopolized nearly 43% of the sector's income with a ASP approximate of $879While Samsung moved around the 15% of the value with an ASP close to $270. The premiumization progresses and consumers choose more expensive models that they retain for longer.
Forecasts and competitive fronts
The projections of Strategy Analytics They pointed out that global smartphone shipments would grow by around 27% until about 875 million of units, with moderation of growth in North America, developed Asia and Western Europe. For that horizon, it was estimated that Samsung could sell around 290 million of smartphones and Apple near 180 million, slightly widening the Korean's lead thanks to its multi-segment portfolioThere was even speculation about a iPhonemini as a response to capture entry-level demand.
Reading the investment banks (BNP Paribas, Korea Investment & Securities) collected annual targets above 170 million of smartphones for Samsung in certain scenarios, while longer replacement cycles (satisfied users with iPhone 4 or Galaxy S4) and the economic crisis affected the rotation of the high-end range. In parallel, Nokia accelerated the abandonment of Symbian to Windows, maintaining traction in emerging markets but losing momentum at the top end.
The board changes quickly: the share rises and falls depending on releases, availability and average price, but the combination of scale, integration of components and a very broad catalog explains why there were quarters in which Samsung overtook Apple in global sales, with occasional increases from the Cupertino firm when its product cycle hits at the right time.
In recent periods, firms such as IDC They emphasize that the recovery has seen several quarters of improvement and that the big players will tend to gain market share against smaller brands. Two key forces are combined: the rise of foldable and the pull of the IA integrated, along with the advance of Chinese manufacturers that capture demand in international markets and push Apple and Samsung to to diversify and reinforce value proposition.
The pulse between Samsung and Apple alternates leadership by launches, availability and average price, but the most recent data suggest a growing market, with Samsung capitalizing on its extensive catalog and its AI functionsWhile Apple maintains the strength of the segment premium liquors and the value captured; competition from Chinese brands and user preferences will dictate the next step.