For over a decade, Samsung has dominated the global smartphone market. Year after year, the South Korean electronics giant shipped more devices worldwide than any other company. But after an unprecedented 13-year run, Samsung has finally been unseated as the top smartphone vendor, according to new data from market research firms IDC and Canalys.

In 2023, Apple shipped an estimated 234.6 million iPhones globally, narrowly surpassing Samsung’s total shipments of 226.6 million mobile devices. It marks the first time Apple has claimed the world’s smartphone crown since IDC started tracking market share in 2010. Back then, Apple didn’t even crack the top five. Instead, the leaderboard featured a who’s who of former industry titans like Nokia, LG Electronics, and BlackBerry-maker Research in Motion – companies that have faded into smartphone irrelevancy over the last decade.

“Not only is Apple the only player in the Top 3 to show positive growth annually, but also bags the number 1 spot annually for the first time ever,” noted Nabila Popal, research director of IDC’s Worldwide Tracker team.

So how did the Cupertino-based tech giant finally seize the smartphone shipments throne after playing runner-up to Samsung for so long? IDC credits Apple’s relentless focus on the higher-end premium device market, which now represents over 20% of global volume. Aggressive trade-in offers and financing deals have also fueled demand for pricy iPhones in recent years.

Of course, Samsung didn’t cede its leadership role without a fight. It faced intense competitive pressure across all price tiers last year, particularly in crucial growth markets like India and China where local brands like Xiaomi gobbled up market share in the more affordable device segments. Industry analysts believe increased competition from Chinese phone makers was a key factor in Samsung’s slide to number two.

Apple may also face stiffer headwinds in China as resurgent telecom giant Huawei rebounds from U.S. sanctions to bolster its domestic smartphone business. Reports indicate Huawei’s latest Mate 60 Pro model utilizes an advanced 7nm chip supplied by Chinese semiconductor firm SMIC, fueling speculation that the company’s fortunes in its home market may be turning around.

While Apple seems poised to defend its newly captured top spot in 2024, IDC says overall global phone shipments ticked down 3.2% last year, continuing the industry’s recent slump. However, fourth-quarter shipments did increase nearly 8.5% year-over-year according to IDC’s data, perhaps signaling stabilization and the beginning of a recovery in the smartphone market after seven straight quarters of declines.

So the era of Samsung’s smartphone supremacy has ended for now. But with competition heating up across all price tiers and markets, neither Apple or Samsung can afford to be complacent. Chinese brands like Xiaomi and revitalized players like Huawei are gunning for the top spots, meaning we could see a shakeup in the smartphone hierarchy again sooner rather than later.