For the first time since 2011, Apple has taken the top spot in the global smartphone market, according to the analysts at Gartner. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus models propelled Apple to a new record in the last three months of 2014, with 74.8 million smartphones sold. That was a nearly 50% increase from Apple’s smartphone sales in the fourth quarter of 2013, when it was pushing the iPhone 5S and 5C.
Q4 smartphone sales to end-users and market share
Apple: 74.8 million (20.4% share)
Samsung: 73 million (19.9% share)
Lenovo (includes Motorola): 24.3 million (6.6% share)
Huawei: 21 million (5.7% share)
Xiaomi: 18.6 million (5.1% share)
Others: 155.7 million (42.4% share)
Total: 367.5 million
Source: Gartner
Overall smartphone sales surged 28% in 2014, and were up 30% in Q4. As smartphone component prices fall, vendors are bringing to market smartphones that are priced to compete with feature phones, and buyers worldwide are responding. Most new users start with an Android-powered smartphone, and Android had almost 81% of the smartphone market in 2014, according to Gartner. With Apple’s iOS at more than 15% for the year, that left just 4% for all other operating systems, including Windows and BlackBerry.
Samsung’s slide
Among the top five smartphone vendors, only Samsung saw smartphone sales decline during Q4. The Korean conglomerate that has dominated the market for three years, sold 73 million smartphones in Q4, vs. 83 million in the year-ago quarter. Samsung faces pressure from both directions, with Apple following its move to larger screens at the high end of the market, and Chinese vendors replicating many of its other Android features at the low end.
Samsung unveiled its newest smartphone, the Galaxy S6, at Mobile World Congress this week. The S6 features a slightly bigger screen than the iPhone 6, but a smaller battery. However, the S6 can charge wirelessly, and Samsung is claiming that its battery life outlasts that of the iPhone 6 in most scenarios.
Image source: blog.tapiture.com
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