Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is revolutionizing the global smartphone industry. Major Android OEMs such as Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo, and others are already making significant strides by launching smartphones with GenAI technology. Interestingly, GenAI-capable smartphones accounted for 6% of global smartphone sales in Q1 2024, up from just 1.3% in the previous quarter, according to Counterpoint Research. This dramatic surge in the share of GenAI smartphones shows the growing demand among consumers worldwide for smarter and more intuitive mobile experiences.
The demand for GenAI smartphones is particularly notable in the premium segment. Premium smartphones priced above $600 accounted for over 70% of the total GenAI-capable smartphone sales in Q1 2024. However, this is not surprising, considering that most generative AI smartphones are high-priced due to their advanced features.
Interestingly, the number of GenAI-capable smartphone models more than doubled in just three months of 2024, rising from 16 to over 30. This is due to the increasing interest and investment from manufacturers in integrating GenAI technology into their devices.
Best Selling GenAI Smartphones Q1 2024
Samsung dominates the global GenAI-capable smartphone market, with its Galaxy S24 series claiming the top three spots in the Q1 2024 top-10 list. Meanwhile, Chinese smartphone OEMs, including Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo, and Honor, have asserted their presence by securing six out of the top 10 positions in the list of GenAI-capable smartphones.
- Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra emerged as the best-selling GenAI-capable smartphone in Q1 2024, commanding a 30.1% market share. What’s more interesting is that the sales share of this particular model is even higher than the combined share of the next two smartphones, Samsung Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus.
- Samsung Galaxy S24 is the second-most-selling GenAI smartphone worldwide, with a 16.8% market share in Q1 2024. It is followed by Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus, which has an 11.5% share.
- Xiaomi 14 and Vivo X100 models claimed the fourth and fifth positions in the list of top 10 best-selling GenAI smartphones globally, respectively, with market shares of 7.7% and 4.9% in Q1 2024.
- Google Pixel 8 Pro secured the 10th position in the list of best-selling GenAI smartphones in Q1 2024, with a market share of 2.2%.
Future Looks Promising
Samsung’s aggressive marketing campaign highlighting the Galaxy S24’s GenAI capabilities has helped the Korean giant to capture a whopping 58% share of the global GenAI smartphone segment.
Although Apple is late to the party, the Cupertino giant is anticipated to launch their first GenAI iPhone later this year.
Users are increasingly drawn to GenAI smartphone features such as chat/note assist, circle to search, live translation, AI-generated portraits, AI eraser tools, and robust offline virtual assistants.
For 2024, GenAI-capable devices are estimated to account for an impressive 11% of the overall smartphone market. Media-focused features and personalized virtual assistants are expected to drive adoption, supported by the availability of more affordable GenAI-capable chipsets.
AI is fundamentally reshaping how we perceive the world and interact with various products, including laptops and smartphones. As we look ahead, the future looks incredibly promising, with GenAI smartphones expected to unveil a host of mind-boggling features and specifications.
