Smartphone shipments in the USA and Europe have declined in the first quarter of 2023, and OEMs have more or less maintained their market shipment shares amid the market's decline.
In the USA, smartphone shipments declined 17% year-on-year, with Counterpoint Research citing weak consumer demand and inventory correction. Samsung's market shipment share in the USA stagnated at 27%. Apple's shipment share increased from 49% to 53%.
Analysts say that inflation started impacting the US market in the second half of 2022, and combined with an uncertain economic outlook, this is causing consumers to hold off on new smartphone purchases.
Interestingly, the Galaxy S23 recorded double-digit shipment increases year-on-year. Another phone that “performed exceptionally well” was the Galaxy A14 5G, which is at the opposite end of the price spectrum as the Galaxy S23.
Samsung's Galaxy S23 was also a hit in Europe
Smartphone shipments also declined in Europe year-on-year by 23%. It's estimated that the European market recorded 38 million phone shipments in the first quarter of the year, which would be the lowest quarterly shipment figure since Q2 2012.
In terms of shipment market share, Samsung maintained the lead with 34%, while Apple and Xiaomi came in 2nd and 3rd with 26% and 19%, respectively.
Once again, the Galaxy S23 series came to Samsung's rescue, this time in Europe. Market watchers say that the company maintained its lead largely thanks to the launch of the Galaxy S23 series, which outperformed both the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S21 lineups from previous years.
