It is not news for the novelty, since Samsung It already managed to become the company with the most devices for the mobility market some time ago, but it is certainly noteworthy that the Korean company maintains this position and that, for now, it has managed to increase the distance with its two rivals in the market: Nokia y Apple , in this order.
According to what has been learned by Gartner, Samsung maintains its privileged position and, in addition, has increased its market share from 18,7% to 22,9% compared to the same period last year. Therefore, things are going quite well for this company, which, relying on the operating system Android, has managed to position itself as number one in the market by selling no less than 97.956 units in the end-user market. Next, we leave you a table in which you can see all the data obtained in Q3 of this year:
Nokia maintains its second position. Apple, the third in contention
Although the Lumia terminals of Nokia have not yet achieved a great penetration in the market, something that the Finnish company hopes to achieve with the arrival of the Lumia 920 and Windows Phone 8 model, the former dominator of the market is able to maintain the second position (which is due to the models low-end markets that have their best markets in Asian and emerging countries).
Apple It has increased its market share, reaching 5,5%, all with a single device. This is its strength, and it also raises some questions. But the fact is that continues its sustained growth.
Other notable data are that ZTE is ratified in the fourth position with no less than 3,9% of the market, and LG is down 1,5% while awaiting the Nexus 4 results, which are not yet reflected in this report. There is only one more company that is improving, Huawei, and two continue their negative trend: RIM and HTC… That they must be able to take a turn of the rudder as quickly as possible.
What explains Samsung's leadership in smartphones?
Analyst firms agree that Samsung and Apple alternate in first place depending on the quarter and the point in the product cycle. In a recent first quarter, IDC placed Samsung around 20,8% fee with a 60 million shipments, while Apple hovered around 17% with a 50 millionThe total market exceeded 289 million units with a growth of high low digit, chaining together several periods of recovery thanks to renewed portfolios, upgrades, and increased consumer confidence.
Omdia, for its part, stresses that the 10 best-selling models of a recent semester were shared between Apple and Samsung, with a key contribution from the Galaxy A range (A14, A34, A54) in the volume and of Galaxy s23 ultra , the Most successful premium Android. This combination of Midrange y top of the range explains Samsung’s resilience to longer renewal cycles.
On an annual basis, IDC has also recorded scenarios where Apple overtakes Samsung in units, driven by the premiumization, exchange offers and interest-free financing. Even so, the consultancy warns that the fight remains open thanks to Samsung's drive in innovation and the competitive pressure of Xiaomi, OPPO/OnePlus, live’s most emblematic landmarks, the Huawei's resurgence in China and the growth of Transsion in emerging markets. Canalys adds that the sector reached around 309 million units in a recent third quarter (+5% year-on-year), with better aligned inventories and aggressive launches.
Another determining factor is the supply chain: the productive diversification —especially in India— has reduced delivery times, streamlining pre-sales and improving availability, while consolidating alliances with operators and retailers to capture demand in mid-high range.
AI, portfolio, and manufacturing: the levers of advantage
The last family Galaxy S has focused on AI functions on the device and in the cloud, the result of technological collaborations such as Google GeminiSamsung talks about a local personal data engine for real time assistance, and reinforces privacy with Samsung Knox and opt-out options in AI features. This strategy is complemented by updates from AI to recent models to bring capabilities to a broad installed base.
In parallel, the Galaxy Z folding (Fold and Flip) They have revitalized the format with marketing that connects with young audiences in social media and global sponsorships. The goal: to differentiate itself by experience and ecosystem, not just by specifications.
In manufacturing, Samsung operates in South Korea, EE. UU (semiconductors in Texas), Vietnam , India, China, Brazil y Europe (televisions in Hungary, Slovakia and Poland). This industrial footprint allows for a balance between Rib, capacity y proximity to the market, key in peak demand and campaigns.
Beyond mobile: sound bars and the ecosystem's halo effect
Samsung's leadership isn't limited to smartphones. In home audio, the brand maintains a chain of a decade as number one in sound bars according to FutureSource, with fees greater than 20% and recognition to models such as HW-Q990C for its immersive audio. The new badge HW-Q990D raises the stakes with 11.1.4 channels, AI for dialogues, Pro Space Equalizer and connectivity HDMI 2.1 with 4K/120Hz. Functions such as Symphony Mode and intelligent calibration strengthen the halo effect of the ecosystem, reinforcing brand preference also on mobile devices.
With a market that combines inflationary pressure in the input range and growth of the premium segment driven by differentiation in AI, Samsung's position is based on a competitive triangle: breadth of portfolio, industrial execution and ecosystem connected. This balance explains why, even with alternating positions on the podium, the company maintains a sustained presence among the industry leaders.
Data from the main consulting firms show a tight pulse at the top and a market that is recovering. With Cross-cutting AI, balanced portfolio and diversified manufacturing, Samsung retains the advantage to defend its leadership in phones and capitalize on ecosystem momentum in the coming cycles.
