US smartphone shipments in Q1 fell 8 per cent year-on-year, the sixth consecutive quarter of declines, data from Counterpoint Research revealed.

Counterpoint Research attributed the decrease to stronger shipments in Q1 2023 following Covid-19 (coronavirus) related factory closures which pushed Apple’s shipments from Q4 2022 into the following quarter.

Apple’s market share remained flat at 52 per cent while Samsung’s grew from 27 per cent to 31 per cent, its highest since Q1 2020.

Jeff Fieldhack, research director for Counterpoint Research, stated operators again experienced dwindling “upgrade rates and equipment revenues”, highlighting the continued weak demand

Hanish Bhatia, associate director, noted “there are signs that a recovery in the market has been postponed to at least Q3, when new device launches can stimulate demand”.

He stated there “will be seasonal growth drivers in Q3 and Q4”, particularly if there is “a strong push for GenAI features in new iPhones”.

“Looking ahead, 2024 may remain a challenging year for OEMs given how upgrade rates have continued to remain low against the backdrop of macroeconomic headwinds triggered by high interest rates,” Bhatia noted.