In October 2023, global smartphone sales rose by 5 percent from the same month a year earlier, marking the first sustained uptick since mid-2021. Counterpoint Research, a trusted analytics firm, reported this shift as part of a broader examination of the market dynamics affecting device shipments around the world.
Over the preceding two years, the smartphone sector faced multiple headwinds. These included ongoing component shortages, cautious stocking by vendors amid macroeconomic uncertainty, and longer upgrade cycles among consumers who were weighing their options more carefully before purchasing the latest models.
October’s growth was supported by a rebound in demand in developing regions, especially across the Middle East and Africa. Huawei’s resurgent presence in China also contributed to the gains, while India prepared for peak season buying, helping to prop up global volumes. In contrast, markets with higher penetration and device saturation were slower to recover, reflecting a more gradual rebound in those areas.
A contributing factor to the October performance was the later release timing of the iPhone 15 series compared with the prior year. The one-week delay helped stabilize iPhone sales by October rather than distributing demand across two months, smoothing out some of the seasonality typical of new-model launches.
Following the October uptick, Counterpoint projected continued year-over-year growth through the fourth quarter of 2023, supported by continued demand in emerging markets and the ongoing holiday shopping period in several key regions.
Earlier forecasts had highlighted weakening demand in Europe, underscoring the regional nuances within the global market and the uneven pace of recovery across different territories.