Apple and Samsung Are Tied for World’s No.1 Smartphone Seller

Apple may have overtaken Samsung in the holiday quarter
Samsung’s new lineup will offer stiff resistance in 2020

WATCH: Robert Muller, analyst at RBC Capital Markets, talks about Apple's outlook.Source: Bloomberg

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By Vlad Savov

January 30, 2020 at 6:23 AM UTC

Updated on

January 30, 2020 at 7:51 AM UTC

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While 2019 started off with expectations of Huawei Technologies Co. challenging Samsung Electronics Co. for the title of world’s most prolific smartphone vendor, it’s the more familiar foe of Apple Inc. that’s now threatening the South Korean titan’s throne.

Industry trackers on Thursday released estimates that show the iPhone maker close to matching or surpassing its Korean rival in shipments during the pivotal holiday quarter. Strategy Analytics put Apple’s iPhone shipments for the fourth quarter at 70.7 million, slightly ahead of Samsung’s 68.8 million. Canalys gauged the U.S. company had moved 78 million, surpassing the Asian brand’s 71 million. And researchers at IHS Markit have the positions flipped -- with Samsung at 70.7 million and Apple at 67.7 million.