Apple returns to the top position in the global smartphone market

Apple has regained the top position in the global smartphone market, according to new data from Research and Markets. The report finds that global mobile phone market volume reached 1.96 billion units in 2017, similar to that in 2016.

“Since Samsung’s Note 8 shipments concentrated on the third quarter of 2017 and its shipments in the fourth quarter was slightly affected by new iPhone rollouts, Apple is able to regain the top position in the global smartphone market, surpassing Samsung, in the fourth quarter,” says Eddie Han, industry analyst.

Although the smartphone shipments in China declined in 2017 for the first time, the global smartphone market still managed to grow at 3.4% in 2017, taking up 78.4% of the total mobile phone market.

On top of that, the smartphone’s global share is forecast by Research and Markets to top 80% in 2018. The researcher predicts the global smartphone market will benefit from 5G since 2020 and its global volume will reach about 1.9 billion units in 2022, representing a 4.1% CAGR (compound annual growth rate) for the period 2017 to 2022.