• Apple has secured the top spot in global smartphone shipments for the first time, surpassing Samsung, as reported by IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. Preliminary data from IDC places Apple's total mobile shipments at 234.6 million, outpacing Samsung's 226.6 million for the year 2023. This marks a significant shift, considering Samsung's historical dominance; the last time it didn't lead annual shipments was in 2010. Notably, Apple's success is attributed to the rising trend of premium devices, constituting over 20% of the market, fueled by attractive trade-in offers and interest-free financing plans.

• While Apple's ascendancy played a crucial role in dethroning Samsung, intense competition from other Android manufacturers like Huawei, OnePlus, Honor, and Google also influenced the dynamics of the smartphone market. Canalys highlights Huawei's "improving strength" as a potential challenge to Apple's growth in the Chinese market. Despite a 3.2% decline in overall smartphone shipments in 2023 compared to 2022, signs of market recovery emerged in the fourth quarter, with IDC reporting an 8.5% year-on-year growth, and Canalys noting an 8% growth after seven consecutive quarters of declines.