Market share of Apple iPhone smartphone sales worldwide 2007-2023

Apple claimed a 20.5 percent share of the market in the first quarter of 2023, a decrease from the previous quarter. Apple's long time competitor, Samsung, ranked second with a market share of 22.5 percent.

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 in the fourth quarter of 2021, lead by the new iPhone 13, gave Apple the top spot in terms of quarterly global unit shipments, although strong sales in the fourth quarter of every year is a common occurrence with Apple products.