While Samsung's smartphone shipments have seen a dramatic ebb and flow over the past decade, the sheer scale of its global empire—from shipping over 226 million units in 2023 to surpassing 3 billion cumulative devices—reveals a story of resilience and strategic adaptation in a fiercely competitive market.
Key Takeaways
- Samsung shipped 226.6 million smartphones globally in 2023
- Samsung's global smartphone shipments reached 258.2 million units in 2022
- In 2021, Samsung delivered 272 million smartphones worldwide
- Samsung held 19.4% global smartphone market share by shipments in 2023
- In 2022, Samsung's global market share was 21.6%
- Samsung's market share reached 20.8% worldwide in 2021
- Samsung Mobile Communications revenue was KRW 68.7 trillion in 2023
- In 2022, Samsung smartphone revenue totaled KRW 79.5 trillion
- Samsung's 2021 mobile revenue reached KRW 84.5 trillion
- US smartphone market saw Samsung at 23% share in 2023
- Samsung held 25% market share in Europe in 2023
- In China, Samsung's 2023 smartphone share was 3.5%
- Galaxy S23 series sold 15 million units globally in first 4 months
- Galaxy S24 series achieved 12 million units shipped in first month of 2024
- Galaxy Z Fold5 and Flip5 together sold 5.5 million in H2 2023
Samsung's global smartphone sales have gradually declined since their peak around 2015.
Global Sales and Shipments
- Samsung shipped 226.6 million smartphones globally in 2023
- Samsung's global smartphone shipments reached 258.2 million units in 2022
- In 2021, Samsung delivered 272 million smartphones worldwide
- Samsung's 2020 global smartphone shipments totaled 253.3 million units
- Global shipments for Samsung smartphones were 295 million in 2019
- Samsung shipped 317.9 million units globally in 2018
- In 2017, Samsung's worldwide smartphone shipments hit 317.7 million
- Samsung achieved 311.9 million global smartphone shipments in 2016
- 2015 global shipments for Samsung smartphones were 320.2 million units
- Samsung shipped 318.9 million smartphones worldwide in 2014
- In 2013, global Samsung smartphone shipments reached 314.1 million
- Samsung's 2012 worldwide shipments totaled 215.8 million smartphones
- Global shipments in 2011 were 162.8 million for Samsung smartphones
- Samsung shipped 98.1 million units globally in 2010
- In Q4 2023, Samsung shipped 51.5 million smartphones globally
- Q3 2023 global shipments for Samsung were 52.6 million units
- Samsung's Q2 2023 worldwide smartphone shipments hit 53.1 million
- Q1 2023 shipments reached 60.3 million globally for Samsung
- In Q4 2022, Samsung shipped 73.9 million smartphones worldwide
- Q3 2022 global shipments were 67.2 million units
- Samsung achieved 62.7 million shipments in Q2 2022 globally
- Q1 2022 worldwide shipments totaled 59.9 million for Samsung
- Samsung's Q4 2021 global smartphone shipments were 74.8 million
- In Q3 2021, shipments reached 69.0 million worldwide
- Q2 2021 global shipments for Samsung were 57.3 million units
- Samsung shipped 23.9 million smartphones globally in Q1 2021
- Cumulative Samsung smartphone shipments exceeded 3 billion units by 2023
- Samsung shipped over 1.5 billion Galaxy smartphones since 2010 by end of 2022
- In 2023 H1, Samsung's global shipments were 113.4 million units
- Samsung's 2023 full-year shipments declined 12% YoY globally
- Samsung smartphone shipments grew 1.4% YoY in Q4 2023 globally
Global Sales and Shipments Interpretation
While Samsung's smartphone shipments have seen a turbulent ebb and flow, from the towering peak of 2018's 317.9 million units down to 2023's 226.6 million, the sheer scale remains staggering—it's the kind of corporate rollercoaster where even the "down" years represent a successful invasion of a small country's worth of pockets and purses every single day.
Market Share Data
- Samsung held 19.4% global smartphone market share by shipments in 2023
- In 2022, Samsung's global market share was 21.6%
- Samsung's market share reached 20.8% worldwide in 2021
- Global smartphone market share for Samsung was 19.9% in 2020
- In 2019, Samsung captured 20.9% of global smartphone market share
- Samsung's 2018 global market share stood at 19.0%
- 2017 saw Samsung at 21.6% global smartphone market share
- Samsung held 20.6% market share globally in 2016
- In 2015, global market share for Samsung smartphones was 24.7%
- Samsung's 2014 worldwide market share was 24.7%
- 2013 global smartphone market share for Samsung reached 31.3%
- In 2012, Samsung dominated with 29.1% global market share
- Samsung's 2011 market share was 19.7% worldwide
- 2010 saw Samsung at 17.1% global smartphone market share
- Q4 2023 Samsung global market share was 19.5%
- Samsung's Q3 2023 market share hit 20.1% globally
- In Q2 2023, global market share for Samsung was 20.7%
- Q1 2023 Samsung market share was 22.8% worldwide
- Samsung achieved 23.8% global market share in Q4 2022
- Q3 2022 market share was 21.6% for Samsung globally
- In Q2 2022, Samsung's share was 22.0%
- Q1 2022 global market share reached 24.6% for Samsung
- Samsung's Q4 2021 market share was 24.1% worldwide
- Q3 2021 saw 20.4% global share
- In Q2 2021, Samsung held 19.4% market share globally
- Q1 2021 market share was 23.1% for Samsung worldwide
- Samsung's premium smartphone market share was 58% globally in 2023
- In mid-range segment, Samsung held 27% global share in 2023
- Samsung's foldable smartphone market share reached 71% in 2023
Market Share Data Interpretation
Samsung's global smartphone throne is still secure, but it's currently more of a neatly contested armchair than the undisputed empire it once was, as its market share has settled into a strategic, if less dominant, twenty-percentish holding pattern while it cleverly hoards the premium and foldable crown jewels.
Model-Specific Sales
- Galaxy S23 series sold 15 million units globally in first 4 months
- Galaxy S24 series achieved 12 million units shipped in first month of 2024
- Galaxy Z Fold5 and Flip5 together sold 5.5 million in H2 2023
- Galaxy A54 became top-selling mid-range model with 7 million units in 2023
- Galaxy S22 series shipments totaled 25 million units lifetime by 2023
- Note20 series sold 10 million units globally in 2020-2021
- Galaxy A14 emerged as best-seller with 17 million units in 2023
- S21 series sold 28 million units worldwide in 2021
- Galaxy Z series cumulative sales surpassed 10 million by end 2023
- A73 model shipped 4.5 million units in 2022-2023
- Galaxy S23 Ultra alone sold 10 million in first half 2023
- M-series budget phones sold 25 million units in India 2023
- Galaxy Fold series lifetime sales reached 4 million by 2023
- S20 series total shipments 27 million units
- A34 model sales hit 6 million globally in 2023
- Galaxy Z Flip4 sold 3 million units in 2022
- S24 Ultra pre-orders exceeded 1.6 million in Korea alone
- A05 series launched with 2 million units sold in Q4 2023
- Galaxy S10 series lifetime sales over 40 million units
Model-Specific Sales Interpretation
Samsung's smartphone empire is a masterclass in strategic bombardment, where the relentless artillery of budget A-series phones softens up the market so the precision-guided S-series flagships can claim the high ground, all while the experimental Z-series foldables are busy mapping the terrain for the next war.
Regional Sales
- US smartphone market saw Samsung at 23% share in 2023
- Samsung held 25% market share in Europe in 2023
- In China, Samsung's 2023 smartphone share was 3.5%
- India market share for Samsung was 17% in 2023
- Samsung dominated Latin America with 29% share in 2023
- In Middle East & Africa, Samsung share was 24% in 2023
- US Q4 2023 Samsung shipments grew 12% YoY to 11.2 million
- Europe 2023 Samsung shipments totaled 45 million units
- China Samsung sales were 18 million units in 2023
- India shipments for Samsung reached 28 million in 2023
- Brazil Samsung market share was 35% in 2023
- Samsung's Korea domestic share was 65% in 2023
- In Southeast Asia, Samsung held 22% share in 2023
- US 2023 Samsung revenue from smartphones was $25 billion
- Europe Q1 2024 Samsung share rose to 26%
- Samsung shipped 6.5 million units in India Q4 2023
- Latin America 2023 shipments for Samsung were 38 million
- Samsung's share in Japan was 20% in 2023
- Australia Samsung market share 28% in 2023
- Samsung A-series sales in India exceeded 20 million units in 2023
Regional Sales Interpretation
Samsung's global smartphone empire is impressively robust, yet its dramatic struggles in China serve as a stark and humbling reminder that even giants have their kryptonite.
Revenue Figures
- Samsung Mobile Communications revenue was KRW 68.7 trillion in 2023
- In 2022, Samsung smartphone revenue totaled KRW 79.5 trillion
- Samsung's 2021 mobile revenue reached KRW 84.5 trillion
- 2020 smartphone revenue for Samsung was KRW 77.3 trillion
- In 2019, revenue from smartphones was KRW 90.3 trillion
- Samsung's 2018 mobile revenue stood at KRW 89.2 trillion
- 2017 revenue from smartphone sales was KRW 102.2 trillion
- In 2016, Samsung smartphone revenue was KRW 105.2 trillion
- 2015 mobile revenue totaled KRW 101.5 trillion for Samsung
- Samsung's 2014 smartphone revenue was KRW 82.3 trillion
- In 2013, revenue reached KRW 77.1 trillion from smartphones
- 2012 smartphone sales revenue was KRW 58.9 trillion
- Samsung's Q4 2023 mobile revenue was KRW 20.4 trillion
- Q3 2023 revenue from smartphones was KRW 17.5 trillion
- In Q2 2023, Samsung mobile revenue hit KRW 16.9 trillion
- Q1 2023 smartphone revenue was KRW 13.9 trillion
- Samsung's Q4 2022 mobile revenue totaled KRW 23.8 trillion
- Q3 2022 revenue was KRW 17.0 trillion from smartphones
- In Q2 2022, revenue reached KRW 18.9 trillion
- Q1 2022 smartphone revenue was KRW 19.8 trillion
- Samsung's smartphone ASP averaged $286 in 2023
- 2023 mobile communications OP was KRW 6.6 trillion
- Smartphone revenue share of total Samsung revenue was 32% in 2023
- Q4 2023 smartphone revenue grew 8% QoQ
- Samsung's smartphone revenue declined 14% YoY in 2023
Revenue Figures Interpretation
Looking past the peaks and troughs, the numbers tell a tale of a maturing giant: after a stratospheric rise, Samsung's smartphone empire has settled into a steady, yet formidable, orbit where it now defends its kingdom rather than conquering new ones.
Sources & References
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