Summary

  • After a tough 2023, the smartphone market grew by 4% in 2024, signaling a recovery.
  • Xiaomi became the fastest-growing brand in 2024 among the top 5, gaining 1% market share while Samsung and Apple each lost 1%.
  • Samsung led with 19% market share, driven by Galaxy S24 and A-series demand, while Apple followed at 18%.



The smartphone market has bounced back in 2024 after a rough patch, thanks to global economic challenges. The year 2023 hit a low point with the weakest smartphone sales in a decade, but things are looking up now. Counterpoint Research reports a 4% growth in 2024. What’s even more interesting is that Xiaomi has outpaced both Samsung and Apple to lead the charge in market share growth.

Xiaomi took the lead as the fastest-growing smartphone brand among the top 5 in 2024, according to the research firm’s report. Its global market share jumped by one percentage point year-on-year, while Samsung and Apple both saw their shares fall by the same amount (via Android Authority).

Interestingly, Xiaomi pulled this off without touching the US market. Instead, it doubled down on Asia, Africa, and Europe—and it’s clearly working. Counterpoint credits the company’s success to shaking up its product lineup, going premium, and nailing some creative marketing moves.



Counterpoint Research graph report about smartphone brand growth in 2024
Source: Counterpoint Research

Samsung and Apple held their top spots in the global smartphone game in 2024, even with their market shares staying steady. Samsung stayed ahead, thanks to strong demand for its Galaxy S24 and A-series phones. Meanwhile, Apple’s iPhone 16 launch had a rockier start, with mixed reactions due to delays in rolling out its Apple Intelligence features. Still, Apple managed steady growth in newer markets like Latin America, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region.


Samsung remains the top smartphone brand globally in 2024

Unsurprisingly, Samsung led the pack with 19% of the global market share in 2024, with Apple right behind at 18%. The past year also marked the debut of Generative AI (Gen AI) in smartphones. Right now, Gen AI is mostly a premium feature, but it’s set to go mainstream. Counterpoint Research predicts that by 2028, most smartphones over $250 will have Gen AI built-in, making it a standard for mid-range devices.


Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra next to Galaxy S23 Ultra

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OPPO held onto fourth place in 2024, despite a year-over-year dip, but showed signs of bouncing back by year’s end. Vivo came in fifth, powered by strong sales in India and China, even climbing to become the top OEM in China. Emerging players like Honor, Huawei, and Motorola have put up a good fight with the top five brands and shook things up with aggressive growth, with Motorola becoming the fastest-growing OEMs in the top 10.