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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThe headline is based on a real event, but it needs two qualifications: Apple’s iPhone revenue fell 10.5% year over year in its fiscal quarter ended March 30, 2024, while IDC estimated a 9.6% decline in Apple’s smartphone shipments during calendar first-quarter 2024. Samsung shipped more smartphones than Apple that quarter. This was a seasonal, historical reversal—not proof that Samsung permanently displaced Apple.
What actually fell by about 10%?
“Sales” can mean revenue, shipments into the distribution channel, or phones purchased by consumers. Those measures are not interchangeable.
| Measure | Apple | Samsung | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Company-reported smartphone revenue, Apple fiscal Q2 2024 | $45.96 billion, down 10.5% year over year | Not comparable in this table | Revenue can change because of unit volume, prices, product mix, currency and channel timing. |
| Estimated smartphone shipments, IDC calendar Q1 2024 | 50.1 million, down 9.6% year over year | Approximately 60.1 million | Shipments are devices sent to carriers, retailers and distributors, not confirmed end-user purchases. |
| Estimated global share, IDC calendar Q1 2024 | 17.3% | 20.8% | Market-share estimates depend on each firm’s methodology and channel coverage. |
Apple reported the revenue figure in its May 2, 2024 earnings release. IDC’s shipment and share estimates are published on its worldwide smartphone market-share page. Neither figure is a complete measure of sell-through to consumers.
Which quarter and dates are involved?
The market-share reversal occurred in calendar Q1 2024, January through March. Apple’s fiscal Q2 covered the three months ended March 30, 2024, and was reported on May 2.
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That timing matters. Apple had just benefited from the holiday-heavy quarter following the iPhone 15 launch. Samsung entered the new year with its Galaxy S24 series, whose early-2024 launch supported first-quarter channel shipments. A comparison between Apple’s holiday quarter and Samsung’s flagship-launch quarter can make a normal cycle look like a permanent strategic shift.
Why Samsung moved ahead
Galaxy S24 timing
Samsung’s Galaxy S24 family was available early in 2024, giving the company a fresh flagship range during the quarter measured by IDC. Launch timing can move shipments before it says anything about a full-year trend.
A much broader product range
Samsung sells entry-level, midrange, premium and foldable phones across many regions. Apple’s volume is concentrated in a smaller number of premium iPhone models. A shipment comparison therefore includes very different price mixes: Samsung can lead in units without leading in revenue, profit or premium-market share.
Seasonality
Apple’s new-iPhone cycle and holiday gifting typically strengthen its fourth-quarter shipments. Samsung’s first-quarter flagship launches often strengthen its next-quarter position. An analysis using IDC data found Apple lost the Q4-to-Q1 lead in seven of the previous eight years; the pattern is discussed by The Motley Fool.
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For that reason, Samsung’s Q1 2024 lead should be read as a quarterly ranking, not as evidence that consumers had permanently switched ecosystems.
What China contributed to Apple’s decline
China was an important pressure point, but China-specific weakness should not be treated as a proxy for Apple’s worldwide business.
Apple’s Greater China revenue was reported at approximately $16.4 billion for the March 2024 quarter, about 8% below the year-earlier period, according to coverage of the results by the South China Morning Post. Apple CEO Tim Cook described the market as highly competitive.
Huawei’s return to the premium segment, aggressive pricing by domestic manufacturers and longer replacement cycles all increased pressure. Analysts and media reports also pointed to restrictions or reported restrictions on iPhone use in some government-linked workplaces. Those explanations come from company commentary, analysts and market reporting; they do not establish one single cause for every lost unit.
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Apple also discounted some models during parts of the quarter. That can support demand while reducing revenue per device, illustrating why revenue and unit trends must be examined separately. Huawei, Xiaomi, OPPO, vivo and other Chinese brands competed for some of the volume that Apple lost; Samsung did not automatically inherit all of it.
Was Apple in a wider crisis?
The iPhone decline was material, but the available figures do not show a collapse of Apple’s entire business or of its premium franchise.
- Apple’s total March-quarter revenue was $90.8 billion, approximately 4% below the year-earlier quarter, while services revenue reached a record, according to Apple’s results release.
- The iPhone 15 Pro Max was reported as the world’s best-selling smartphone model in Q1 2024 in Counterpoint-related coverage, including My Mobile India’s report.
- Premium pricing, average selling price, services growth and geographic mix can remain resilient even when total units decline.
Investors should therefore separate unit shipments from revenue, operating profit and ecosystem monetization. A lower shipment estimate does not by itself prove weaker customer loyalty or lower profit.
Why “Samsung took Apple’s lead” is too broad
IDC estimated that Samsung led Apple in global smartphone shipments in Q1 2024: 60.1 million units versus 50.1 million, with shares of 20.8% and 17.3%, respectively. That is a lead in estimated unit shipments for one calendar quarter.
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It is not a finding that Samsung led Apple in:
- smartphone revenue;
- profit;
- average selling price;
- premium-market share; or
- phones activated or purchased directly by consumers.
Market researchers also do not use identical models. Their rankings can differ because of channel coverage, timing and shipment definitions. A single quarterly estimate should not be converted into a claim about long-term corporate health.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What changed after 2024?
The 2024 headline is no longer a description of the latest market. Counterpoint estimated that Apple led global smartphone shipments in Q1 2026, with Samsung close behind at roughly 21% share, as reported by MacRumors.
Samsung moved back into first place in Q2 2026, according to Counterpoint:
| Company | Q2 2026 estimated global share | Year-over-year detail |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung | 24% | Largest share in the quarter |
| Apple | 20% | Shipments grew 3% year over year |
| Xiaomi | 12% | Not stated in the cited source |
| OPPO | 11% | Not stated in the cited source |
| vivo | 8% | Not stated in the cited source |
Counterpoint estimated that the overall smartphone market fell 11% year over year in Q2 2026, which it described as the weakest second quarter since 2013, largely because of a worsening memory-chip shortage. Its figures are available at Counterpoint Research.
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Omdia’s contemporaneous estimate was less severe: a 4% market decline in Q2 2026 while Apple and Samsung gained share. The difference, detailed by Omdia, demonstrates why Counterpoint, IDC and Omdia numbers should not be combined as though they were one measurement.
How to interpret the headline as an investor or buyer
For investors
Check whether a report is discussing Apple’s reported revenue or a research firm’s estimated units. Then examine the quarter’s launch calendar, regional results, product mix, services growth and the methodology behind the market-share estimate.
For consumers
A Samsung shipment lead does not mean Samsung phones are selling more profitably, nor does it make an iPhone or Galaxy device a better choice. Compare the models, prices, software support and features relevant to your needs rather than treating a quarterly global ranking as a product verdict.
Bottom line
Apple’s iPhone business did experience a real decline around the March 2024 quarter: revenue fell 10.5%, and IDC estimated shipments fell 9.6%. Samsung retook the global shipment lead with the help of its Galaxy S24 launch, broader portfolio and favorable quarter timing. But the figures measured different things, Chinese brands absorbed some demand, and the ranking was not permanent. By Q2 2026, Samsung led again, while Apple’s shipments were growing 3% year over year in a market weakened by component shortages.
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