
Smartphone, PC markets reflect market recovery

Global smartphone shipments were 289.4 million in 1Q24 while 59.8 million PCs shipped, according to IDC. These were up 7.8 percent and 1.5 percent year-over-year, respectively.
Samsung replaced Apple as the top smartphone vendor but it was the Chinese vendors Xiaomi and Transsion that achieved the biggest year-on-year growth. The first quarter was the third consecutive quarter of smartphone shipment growth.
“As expected, smartphone recovery continues to move forward with market optimism slowly building among the top brands,” said Ryan Reith, group vice president with IDC, in a statement.

Top five companies ranked by smartphone shipments 1Q24 (millions of units). Source: IDC.
IDC expects IDC forecasts Samsung and Apple will maintain their hold on the high end of the market but also predicts the resurgence of Huawei in China as well as a continued push from other Chinese brands including Oppo and Vivo.
PC behind smartphone
The traditional PC market ended two years of decline in 1Q24 as volumes returned to pre-pandemic levels. The 1Q24 shipment figure was only 700,000 units behind the 60.5 million units that shipped in 1Q19.
The recovery in PC sales is expected to pick up pace in 2024 as AI PCs come to market with an expectation they can command higher prices.

Top five companies ranked by PC shipments 1Q24 (millions of units). Source: IDC.
Lenovo continues to be the number one PC company. Apple grew the most year-on-year but that was partly due to large decline in the prior year.
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