Tech Markets Rebound: Smartphone and PC Sales Surge

Samsung has dethroned Apple as the top smartphone vendor in the first quarter of 1Q24, according to the latest data from IDC. However, it was the Chinese vendors Xiaomi and Transsion that stole the spotlight with the biggest year-on-year growth. This quarter marked the third consecutive period of shipment growth in the smartphone market, indicating a positive trend for the industry.

"As expected, smartphone recovery continues to move forward with market optimism slowly building among the top brands," remarked Ryan Reith, group vice president at IDC. The market sentiment is gradually improving, setting the stage for further growth and innovation in the smartphone sector.

According to IDC's report, the top five companies ranked by smartphone shipments in 1Q24 (measured in millions of units) were led by Samsung and followed by Apple. The research firm anticipates that Samsung and Apple will maintain their dominance in the high-end market segment, while also keeping an eye on the resurgence of Huawei in China.

In a separate development, the traditional PC market saw a turnaround in 1Q24 after two years of decline, with shipment volumes returning to pre-pandemic levels. In the same quarter of 2019, a total of 60.5 million PC units were shipped, signaling a recovery in the PC sector.

The recovery in the PC market is expected to gain momentum in the coming years, especially with the introduction of AI-powered PCs in 2024. Industry experts believe that AI-enabled PCs could command higher prices in the market, driving growth and innovation in the PC segment.