According to a new report by Electronics Hub, Samsung has been ranked as the most repairable smartphone brand in 2022, surpassing Apple by a significant margin.
In Q1 2023, Samsung Electronics narrowly surpassed Apple in smartphone shipment volumes with a lead of just 1%, according to a new report from research firm Counterpoint. Despite a contraction in the smartphone market, Samsung shipped the highest number of units at 60.6 million, followed by Apple with 58 million and OPPO with 30.5 million. However, all OEMs experienced a year-on-year decline, with Samsung seeing a 19% drop compared to Q1 2022, while Apple and Xiaomi dropped 2% and 22%, respectively.
Although Samsung had the highest shipment volume, Apple emerged as the clear leader in operating profit share, with a 72% gap between it and Samsung. Furthermore, Apple generated half of the total revenue of all smartphone brands combined, achieving a 50% revenue share in Q1 2022, while Samsung had a 19% revenue share in the same quarter.
Apple maintained a commanding lead in operating profits, with a substantial 72% advantage over Samsung, and captured half of the market’s revenue, according to Counterpoint.
Research director at Counterpoint, Jeff Fieldhack, attributed Apple’s strong performance to the loyalty of its customer base and the company’s ecosystem, which discourages consumers from seeking out cheaper alternatives. Despite this, the smartphone market is likely to remain challenging due to persistent issues affecting the industry, as well as the recent decision by OPEC countries to cut oil production, which may lead to higher inflation rates and reduced spending power among consumers.
“Apple is able to weather economic and other fluctuations better than its rivals while enjoying unflinching loyalty. This also meant Apple was able to meet the demand for the iPhone 14 series which spilt [sic] over Q4 2022, when it had problems at its Zhengzhou factory, rather than that share dissipating or transferring to rivals,” Fieldhack said.
The downturn has had a noticeable impact on the financial outcomes of major players in the smartphone market, including Samsung’s mobile division, which reported a 2% year-on-year decline in revenue, and Qualcomm, whose shares fell after a 17% decline in smartphone processor sales.
