Samsung and Apple's Market Share Eroded by Chinese Smartphones

Samsung still dominates the global smartphone market. Data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) recorded the South Korean smartphone manufacturer's market share in 2017 as 21.7%. This is the highest compared to other smartphone brands. Apple is in second place, controlling 14.7% of the global smartphone market.

However, compared to 2013, the market share of these two largest smartphone brands has decreased. Samsung's market share shrank by 940 basis points (bps), and Apple's also fell by 30 bps. The decline in market share of these two brands was filled by the rise of Chinese smartphone brands that have successfully captured the attention of global gadget users.

Huawei's market share in 2017 increased by 570 bps to 10.5% compared to its 2013 position. Similarly, Oppo's market share rose by 640 bps to 7.6%, Xiaomi's by 450 bps to 6.3%, and Vivo's by 380 bps to 6%. In total, these four smartphone brands control more than 30% of the global smartphone market. Shipments from these four Chinese smartphone manufacturers reached 446 million units, surpassing Apple's 215.8 million units and Samsung's 317.6 million units.