After spending 13 years as the top dog, something shocking happened in worldwide smartphone sales. Samsung slipped to second behind Apple, a surprising result considering Samsung’s more diverse lineup. While Apple focuses mostly on premium and flagship-level devices, Samsung offers a broad range of budget and midrange devices that appeal to more consumers, especially in developing countries.
So even though Galaxy S24 Ultra sales suggest this trend won’t last, it’s worth looking at what advantages Apple currently has and what caused Samsung to slide off the throne. If the Korean mobile giant wants to guarantee it’s comeback, it needs to be clever about the future of its lineup.
Apple filled in the gaps in its lineup
Diversity is king
I wouldn’t say Apple did anything shocking in 2023 to overtake Samsung. Cupertino’s most famous company did what it always does: releasing relatively iterative upgrades with the iPhone 14 series. And whereas enthusiasts balked at the 60Hz display featured on the base iPhone 14, casual iOS fans found it a more affordable way into the ecosystem they love, often with carrier deals sweetening the pot. The iPhone 15 series also sold well throughout the final months of the year, bolstering Apple’s end-of-year sales figures.
With that said, new iPhone models weren’t what pushed Apple over the top in 2023, it was older devices. The iPhone 13 and iPhone 11 made the list of top ten smartphones globally last year, as Apple’s previous generation devices provided a cheaper option. Instead of a traditional midrange and budget lineup, Apple simply relies on older devices sold at a discount.
Unfortunately for Apple, sales in China continue to weaken, with Chinese Android manufacturers producing attractive midrange and flagship phones. To make matters worse, Chinese manufacturers often sell the phones cheaper in China than they do the same model globally, stacking the deck against Apple. Previously, this only negatively impacted Samsung, but now Apple is feeling the squeeze of moderately priced, homegrown competition.
If you’re looking for a reason Apple might hold onto the crown in 2024, a new iPhone SE would provide an appealing midrange option, eating into Samsung’s A-series dominance. However, it still would be over twice the price of Samsung’s popular A15.
Samsung has the midrange edge
A phone for every budget
Samsung worked hard to streamline its design language across all device classes, with its budget Galaxy A15 looking strikingly similar to the much more expensive S24. A strong budget and midrange lineup helped Samsung in 2023, with the A14, A34, and A54 making the list of top ten smartphones sold.
In previous years, entries from Xiaomi and other Chinese manufacturers roamed the bottom of the list, but Samsung’s strong 2023 midrange offerings swept them off the board. The Galaxy A54 was a superb value, delivering a fantastic display, decent performance, and a quality camera at a palatable price. The A14 was the most popular Samsung phone in the world because people were hungry for a reliable, well-built Android experience that wouldn’t crush their wallets.
Thankfully for Samsung, 2024 is off to a great start, with strong global releases like the A15, A25, A35, and A55 — the latter of which is not available in the United States. Even still, the A55 is a fantastic midrange option, with improved battery life and build quality over the outgoing A54. Despite these upgrades, Samsung kept the price the same, and I expect the A55 to do well overseas, as it gives people good performance, a gorgeous display, and a solid One UI experience for around $450.
Samsung Galaxy A15 5G review: Everything you need for only $200
It’s not flashy, but the A15 gets the job done for people who don’t read reviews or care about specs
In addition, the Galaxy A15 looks to retain its predecessor’s crown as the best-selling Android phone in the world, with an OLED panel, decent performance, and an attractive main camera for $200. A stronger sales showing from the Galaxy A25 would be helpful, but the improvements made to the Samsung phones already in the top ten are nothing to sneeze at. If Samsung wants to top Apple in 2024, it must extend its advantage with the A-series.
Samsung Galaxy A25 5G review: Better than budget
At this point, Samsung’s cheap phones can’t get much more reliable
Who will take the title in 2024?
Samsung has the edge
If Samsung is to regain the top spot, it can’t lose too much ground to Xiaomi. While 2024 is already looking favorable for Samsung in its matchup against Apple, Xiaomi also had a solid start to the year, with its Xiaomi 14 series devices selling well. A strong showing from the company’s budget brand, Redmi, might also disrupt Samsung’s ascent to the top, as it would face competition at flagship and budget price ranges. Still, I expect strong Galaxy S24 Ultra sales to offset any inroads made by Xiaomi.
Also, let’s not forget that even though the Galaxy S24 Ultra is already on store shelves, Samsung isn’t done with major releases in 2024. The Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip series will have new entries by the end of the Summer, and a Galaxy S24 FE could help Samsung’s sales in the Fall.
Apple is still a wildcard. As I noted, launching a new iPhone SE for 2024 might tip the scales, but we don’t know what the iPhone 16 series will look like. Apple upgrade cycles can be glacial, as casual users cling to their iPhones until the screens fall off. All told, the company really hasn’t offered a compelling reason to upgrade devices since the iPhone 12, so if the iPhone 16 does something radical (radical for Apple, let’s not go crazy), then we might see a wave of people finally looking to buy.
Whatever Cupertino cooks up for September’s releases, I believe Samsung will regain the top spot in 2024. It features too many solid smartphones in price ranges people are looking at, with hard times causing consumers to shy away from $1,000 devices in favor of midrange offerings and budget phones that deliver much of the experience for significantly less. So, while it did cause some excitement in 2023, Apple should take a picture of the standings because I don’t think it will last.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
It’s not an overhaul by any means, but even small changes like (finally) swapping back to a flat touchscreen and seven years of system updates help the Galaxy S24 Ultra stand apart from its predecessors. Galaxy AI’s suite of features are front and center, as well as Google’s latest utilities like Circle to Search, and this AI craze even brings its magic to the Ultra’s cameras for after-the-fact super slo-mo.
