Samsung Falls Behind 'iPhone 13'... Apple Regains 4th Quarter Smartphone No.1 Spot

Canalys Report Shows Apple Leading Q4 with 22%
First Quarterly Lead This Year... iPhone 13 as Key Player

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] In the fourth quarter of last year, the iPhone 13 series gained high popularity mainly in the Greater China market, allowing Apple to surpass Samsung and take the top spot.

According to market research firm Canalys on the 18th (local time), Apple ranked first in the global smartphone market in the fourth quarter of last year with a market share of 22%. However, Canalys did not disclose specific shipment volumes.

Apple's top position is attributed to the popularity of its flagship smartphone, the iPhone 13 series. This marks the first time in three quarters since the fourth quarter of 2020. Canalys analyst Sanyam Chaurasia noted, "Apple regained the number one spot in the smartphone market in just three quarters thanks to the performance of the iPhone 13," adding, "They implemented aggressive pricing strategies in China and other regions." Despite strong demand, the global semiconductor chip shortage limited supply, resulting in only a 1 percentage point increase in market share compared to the third quarter.

With Apple rising to number one worldwide, the ranking between Apple and Samsung reversed. Samsung recorded a 20% market share in the fourth quarter, down from 21% in the third quarter. Samsung maintained a higher market share than Apple for the first to third quarters this year, supported by the Z series and the budget-friendly A series. Xiaomi of China ranked third with 12%, followed by Chinese manufacturers Oppo and Vivo with 9% and 8% market shares, respectively.

The impact of the semiconductor chip shortage is expected to continue until the second quarter of this year. Nicole Peng, Vice President of Mobility at Canalys, stated, "The supply chain disruption has had the greatest impact on low-cost suppliers," and added, "It will take years for major foundry manufacturers to increase semiconductor chip production."

Meanwhile, Apple plans to hold its earnings call for the fourth quarter of 2021 (Apple's first quarter of 2022) on the 27th (local time). The full-year financial results for Apple's fiscal year 2021, which ends in late September, are also expected to be disclosed.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.