Apple ships record 74mn iPhones, takes sales crown from Samsung

San Francisco, US – Apple was the top smartphone seller in the final quarter of last year, seizing the crown from Samsung, according to market trackers.

Apple shipped an estimated 73.8mn iPhones during the fourth quarter, driven by the popularity of its newest models in the US and Europe and lowerpriced handsets in other parts of the world, International Data Corporation (IDC) reported last week. Apple, which has been below Samsung for some time, ‘is recovering, due to cheaper iPhone 11 pricing and healthier demand in Asia and North America,’ said Neil Mawston of Strategy Analytics, whose separate survey also showed Apple on top in the past quarter.

South Korean consumer electronics giant Samsung delivered some 69.4mn handsets as it slipped to the number two position, according to IDC.

Chinese smartphone powerhouse Huawei remained a strong player in its home market, but saw sales of premium models take a hit in Western Europe in the wake of US sanctions, according to IDC analyst Melissa Chau. “Things will continue to look challenging for Huawei given that the trade war is still not yet resolved, while new uncertainty raised around the Wuhan coronavirus could potentially have adverse effects on not just Huawei, but all players reliant on the China smartphone supply chain,” Chau said.

Huawei shipped 56.2mn smartphones during the quarter, a decline of about 7 per cent from the same period a year earlier, IDC reported.

For the full year, overall smartphone sales were down around 1 per cent despite an improving trend in the fourth quarter, according to IDC and Strategy Analytics surveys.

IDC reported shipments of 368mn handsets in 2019 compared with 373mn a year earlier.