The whole phone number is from 2022 and the market looks pretty bleak. In fact, research firm IDC (opens in new tab) Global smartphone shipments fell 18.3% year-over-year in the holiday quarter, marking the biggest drop in a single quarter, according to the company.
Getting worse. Overall, he’s down 11.3% for the year, and total shipments are his lowest in a decade. IDC blames “low consumer demand, inflation and economic uncertainty.”
However, there is a ray of hope in these dire numbers. Samsung increased its market share from 20% to 21.6% year-on-year, overtaking Apple to take the top spot. Although Apple also increased its share from his 17.3% to 18.8%.
Ahead of the Samsung Unpacked event on February 1st, we asked IDC Research Director Nabila Popal about the rivalry between Samsung and Apple, and whether Samsung can really make headlines with the launch of its new Galaxy S23 series. I was.
Premium is really growing
The first good news is that Samsung doesn’t necessarily have to worry about whether consumers will get used to the higher-priced Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. It’s said to cost $1,200, similar to the S22 Ultra, with some rumors going as high as $1,250.
Devices over $800 have seen a 7 percentage point increase in share over the past three years.
Nabila Popal, IDC
“The high range is very resilient in this challenging economic climate,” Popal said in an email.
This is due to strong promotions and aggressive trade-in offers, as well as an increase in interest-free financing options by carriers and retailers. In a falling market, premium phones aren’t really that premium.
Is the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s 200MP overkill?
One reason Samsung has a slight edge over other vendors is simply that competition among Android smartphone makers has dwindled in the last few years. And it’s about to make a big statement in the best camera phone wars with the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which is expected to have a 200-megapixel main sensor. but they are pretty impressive.
However, Samsung will lead the megapixels with the S22 Ultra’s 108MP main sensor in 2022, and based on the Galaxy S22 Ultra vs. Pixel 7 Pro and Galaxy S22 Ultra vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max showdowns, Samsung is in third place against Apple. was. For overall image quality, Google. So Samsung needs to do more than just offer more megapixels.
“Cameras are an important feature for consumers, but I think they’ve gone too far today,” said IDC’s Popal. “Honestly, megapixel flaunting these days doesn’t have much of an impact on a consumer’s purchasing decision, regardless of whether they choose a brand or an operating system.”
The real reason Samsung could steal market share from Apple
Lost in the gloom surrounding mobile phone sales is the fact that foldable phones currently account for 5% of all smartphone sales. In the US, Samsung has his 100% of that market with phones like the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the more affordable Galaxy Z Flip 4.
I think Samsung is better positioned than ever to take some share from Apple because it has a foldable device that Apple doesn’t have yet.
Nabila Popal, IDC
Other companies, including Oppo, Honor, and Xiaomi, are also rolling out foldable devices, but for now, Apple seems content to stay on the sidelines. Despite rumors of a foldable iPhone Flip, nothing is reportedly ready for 2023.In fact, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple won’t launch a foldable until 2025. (opens in new tab)If anything, it looks like the foldable iPad could come first.
This paves the way for Samsung to get closer to Apple.
“I think Samsung is better positioned than ever to take some share from Apple because they have foldable devices that Apple doesn’t have yet,” said Popal. “Foldables have gained a lot of traction, especially in the last year and are no longer just a marketing tool or fad or trend, but a highly viable growth in a market that is gaining more and more momentum and consumers. It’s a segment you’re interested in.”
Popal attributes Samsung’s market share gains in 2022 to both the growth of foldable devices and the success of the S22 lineup.
Outlook
The launch of the Samsung Galaxy S23 is clearly a big deal, especially the Ultra, which could turn some shoppers away from Apple if the camera lives up to the hype. But Samsung’s biggest opportunity is in foldable devices. That’s because it’s a category Apple hasn’t entered yet.
And with both the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 on the horizon, Samsung could gain some serious momentum against Apple this year.