Smartphone vendors are licking their wounds after an all-around lousy year in sales. Analysts at Canalys estimate worldwide shipments for Q4 2022 dipped 17 percent compared to 2021. Full-year sales were down to less than 1.2 billion, a decline of 11 percent year-over-year. The worst performance the industry has seen in a decade.
Apple and Samsung faired slightly better than the rest, with the Cupertino powerhouse wresting away 25 percent of the market over the Korean OEM’s 20 percent — both gains in the industry. Chinese manufacturers Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo all took a hit, falling to 11, 10, and 8 percent market share, respectively. Apple’s recent release of the iPhone 14 line contributed to it stealing Samsung’s thunder, at least until the Galaxy S23’s upcoming release.
