Statistics from tech industry research firm, Canalys showed that Apple overtook Samsung to return to the top of the global smartphone market, with a 22 per cent share of shipments the fourth quarter of 2021.
Canalys attributed Apple’s success to strong demand for the iPhone 13 in the quarter.
The result means Apple has toppled Samsung which topped the tables in the first nine months of 2021.
Samsung came second to Apple in Q4 with a 20 per cent market share, followed by Xiaomi with 12 per cent, then Oppo with 9 per cent and then Vivo with 8 per cent.
Canalys’ figures are based on sell-in data.
However, Samsung was the only player in the top five to record market share growth, with its recent figure up from 17 per cent in Q4 2020.
Canalys noted shipments in the recent quarter continued to be impacted by supply chain woes and a resurgence of Covid-19.
Analyst Sanyam Chaurasia said Apple’s Chinese shipments were strong, while its supply chain also showed signs of recovery. However, the vendor was still forced to cut production in Q4 due to shortages of key components and could not manufacture enough iPhones to meet demand.
“In prioritised markets, it maintained adequate delivery times, but in some markets its customers had to wait to get their hands on the latest iPhones,” Chaurasia said.
Canalys data shows Apple last took the spot spot in Q4 2020, when it accounted for 23 per cent of the market.
