Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Samsung was the world’s leading smartphone vendor by global shipment share in Q3 2023, but “20% market share” does not mean it earned one-fifth of industry revenue or that consumers bought one-fifth of all phones from Samsung. Counterpoint Research put Samsung’s share at 20%; IDC’s estimate was 19.7%. Both figures describe units shipped worldwide.
What Samsung’s 20% share measured
Q3 2023 ran from July 1 through September 30. In Counterpoint Research’s global smartphone shipment-share series, Samsung ranked first for the quarter at 20%. The measure is unit shipments into the market, not consumer purchases at retail, revenue, profit, or the number of phones in use. Counterpoint’s definition and historical series are available in its global smartphone share data.
That distinction matters for interpreting the headline: a shipment-share lead shows scale in units, but does not establish which vendor captured the most sales dollars or profit. Nor does a global ranking establish leadership in every country or product segment.
How the vendors ranked
Counterpoint’s Q3 2023 ranking put Samsung ahead of Apple and Chinese vendors Xiaomi, OPPO, and vivo. “Others” is the combined share of vendors outside the top five.
#1 Best Overall
- PRIVACY DISPLAY: Automatically hide your screen from those beside you. The built-in privacy display can be preset¹ to turn on when receiving notifications, typing passwords, or using specific apps
- TYPE IT IN. TRANSFORM IT FAST: Enhance any shot in seconds on your smartphone by using Photo Assist² with Galaxy AI.³ Add objects, restore details, or apply new styles by simply typing or tapping
- NIGHTS, CAPTURED CLEARLY: From gigs to city lights, record and capture moments after dark with clarity using Nightography so your photos and videos stay crisp and clear on your Samsung Galaxy
- MAKE IT. EDIT IT. SHARE IT: Turn everyday moments into something personal with creative tools built right into your mobile phone, whether it’s a special contact photo, custom wallpaper, an invitation or more⁴
- HELP THAT KEEPS UP: Stay in the moment while Now Nudge with Galaxy AI helps you respond faster and stay organized with smart suggestions⁵ that appear exactly when you need them on your phone
| Vendor | Global smartphone shipment share |
|---|---|
| Samsung | 20% |
| Apple | 16% |
| Xiaomi | 14% |
| OPPO | 9% |
| vivo | 7% |
| Others | 34% |
Source: Counterpoint Research’s global smartphone share series. Counterpoint’s series groups OnePlus with OPPO from Q3 2021 onward, so its OPPO figure reflects that convention.
The market was weak, and Samsung’s shipments fell
Counterpoint estimated that 299.8 million smartphones shipped worldwide in Q3 2023, a 1% decline year over year. Samsung’s shipments were down 8% year over year, even though they rose 11% from the previous quarter. The company retained first place in a shrinking market; the result was not evidence that either Samsung or the wider industry was growing year over year. Counterpoint’s quarter summary is in its Q3 2023 smartphone market infographic.
Rank #2
- YOUR CONTENT, SUPER SMOOTH: The ultra-clear 6.7" FHD+ Super AMOLED display of Galaxy A17 5G helps bring your content to life, whether you're scrolling through recipes or video chatting with loved ones.¹
- LIVE FAST. CHARGE FASTER: Focus more on the moment and less on your battery percentage with Galaxy A17 5G. Super Fast Charging powers up your battery so you can get back to life sooner.²
- MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
- NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
- BUILT TO LAST: With an improved IP54 rating, Galaxy A17 5G is even more durable than before.⁴ It’s built to resist splashes and dust and comes with a stronger yet slimmer Gorilla Glass Victus front and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer back.
Other trackers estimated a similar but not identical market size. IDC put the quarter at 302.8 million units, down 0.1% year over year, and estimated Samsung shipped about 59.5 million phones. Omdia reported approximately 301.6 million units, down 0.7% year over year. These are separate estimates, not figures that should be combined into a single total.
Why reports give slightly different figures
IDC’s preliminary Q3 tracker put Samsung at 19.7% of shipments, compared with Counterpoint’s rounded 20%. IDC’s estimate and market total appear in its Q3 2023 tracker announcement. Omdia’s market total is reported in its November 2023 smartphone market report.
Rank #3
- YOUR CONTENT, SUPER SMOOTH: The ultra-clear 6.7" FHD+ Super AMOLED display of Galaxy A17 5G helps bring your content to life, whether you're scrolling through recipes or video chatting with loved ones.¹
- LIVE FAST. CHARGE FASTER: Focus more on the moment and less on your battery percentage with Galaxy A17 5G. Super Fast Charging powers up your battery so you can get back to life sooner.²
- MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
- NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
- BUILT TO LAST: With an improved IP54 rating, Galaxy A17 5G is even more durable than before.⁴ It’s built to resist splashes and dust and comes with a stronger yet slimmer Gorilla Glass Victus front and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer back.
The difference between 19.7% and 20% is consistent with rounding, while the varying market totals reflect trackers’ own coverage, channel definitions, reporting cutoffs, and estimation methods. For that reason, a precise share or unit count should always be attributed to the firm that produced it rather than presented as a universal count.
Why Samsung stayed ahead—and what the quarter cannot prove
Samsung’s lead is best understood as a portfolio-wide result. Its 2023 range included the Galaxy S23 series, the Galaxy Z Fold5 and Z Flip5 introduced in the second half, and the high-volume Galaxy A series, alongside regional and carrier-specific models. The quarter’s vendor total covers the company’s phones across tiers; the available figures do not establish that any one model or family caused the lead.
Rank #4
- Please note, this device does not support E-SIM; This 4G model is compatible with all GSM networks worldwide outside of the U.S. In the US, ONLY compatible with T-Mobile and their MVNO's (Metro and Standup). It will NOT work with other CDMA carriers, and it is also not compatible with their MVNO (Visible, Xfinity Mobile, US Mobile, Cricket Wireless, etc).
- Compatibility with certain third-party devices and accessibility accessories, including some hearing aids, may vary depending on manufacturer support, Bluetooth protocols, software compatibility, and regional firmware limitations. For additional hearing aid compatibility information, please refer to Samsung’s official support documentation.
- Camera: 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, AF | 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, AF | 2 MP, f/2.4, (macro). Battery: 5000 mAh, non-removable | A power adapter is NOT included.
Samsung’s global distribution and carrier presence, broad price range, and stronger quarter-over-quarter shipments provide context for why it retained scale. Counterpoint reported the shipment trends, but the figures alone do not isolate how much each product, channel, or launch contributed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Samsung versus Apple: a shipment lead, not a universal win
Samsung’s first-place ranking was specifically a Q3 global unit-shipment result. Apple had 16% of global shipments in Counterpoint’s table. A quarterly unit ranking does not answer which company led in premium-phone revenue, profit, or customer loyalty. Those are different measures, and the shipment-share figures do not settle them.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Best Value
- TYPE IT IN. TRANSFORM IT FAST: Enhance any shot in seconds on your smartphone by using Photo Assist¹ with Galaxy AI.² Add objects, restore details, or apply new styles by simply typing or tapping
- MAKE IT. EDIT IT. SHARE IT: Turn everyday moments into something personal with creative tools built right into your mobile whether it’s a special contact photo, custom wallpaper, an invitation or more³
- FAST. POWERFUL. AI-READY: Power through your day with AI-accelerated performance from our fastest, smoothest and most powerful Galaxy processor yet, built to keep up with everything you do
- IMMENSELY IMMERSIVE: No matter where you are or what you’re watching, your favorite videos and more come to life with the vibrant display on Galaxy S26
- FIT EVERYONE IN THE SHOT: Group selfies are easier on your Samsung phone with a wider front camera⁴ that captures more of the scene, so no one gets left out of the moment
Quarterly timing also matters: Apple’s share can shift around its iPhone launch cycle, so a Q3 position should not be treated as a permanent annual ranking. Samsung later reported a 19.7% global smartphone quantity share for full-year 2023, using TechInsights data in its 2023 fourth-quarter interim report. That annual figure is a separate period and source, not a replacement for either tracker’s Q3 estimate.
Global leadership did not mean U.S. leadership
The result was worldwide, not a ranking for every national market. In Counterpoint’s U.S. Q3 2023 shipment data, Apple had 53% and Samsung 25%. The U.S. figures are reported in Counterpoint’s U.S. smartphone market share analysis. Regional rankings can differ sharply from the global total.
What the result meant
Samsung’s Q3 2023 lead reflected relative scale and resilience: it shipped more smartphones globally than any rival by the trackers’ unit-share measures, even as its own shipments declined year over year and the overall market remained flat to down. The defensible version of the headline is that Samsung held roughly one-fifth of global smartphone shipments that quarter—not that it captured one-fifth of consumer spending or led every market measure.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
