Apple iPhone smartphone market share worldwide 2007-2022

Apple claimed a 14.1 percent share of the market in the second quarter of 2021, a drop from the previous quarter. A decline from Q4 of a given year to Q1 of the next is typical for the Apple sales cycle, and was still enough to put Apple in second place in terms of global smartphone market share, driven by the successful launch of the iPhone 12.

Apple and Samsung continue to dominate the smartphone market

Apple has been amongst the top 5 smartphone vendors in the world since 2009. With the decline of former market leaders Nokia and RIM, Apple and Samsung were able to grow their presence in the market. As a result of political pressure, tariffs and restrictions imposed by the U.S, Chinese manufacturer Huawei has recently dropped off as the third major player in the smartphone market, while Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo have gained ground.

Coronavirus (COVD-19) pandemic impact on iPhone sales

While the long-term impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on sale is difficult to determine, the immediate impact was quickly visible. While large quarterly fluctuations are normal for Apple’s revenue cycle, one must look back to 2017 to find two consecutive quarters in which Apple generated less than 30 billion U.S. dollars in revenue from the iPhone.
A strong performance led by the iPhone 12 shows that the company is well on its way to recovering from the initial impact of the pandemic on smartphone sales.