Samsung beats Apple to become top phone maker
Listen to the story (South African accent)
This year, Apple sold fewer iPhones so far. They sold 10% less phones because there are more Android phones now.
But, more smartphones were sold worldwide this year. The number went up 7.8% to 289.4 million phones. Samsung sold the most phones, more than Apple.
Xiaomi, a Chinese company, sold the third most phones.
Samsung, a company from South Korea, started selling a new phone called Galaxy S24 in 2024. They sold more than 60 million phones in the first quarter of this year.
Apple sold 50.1 million iPhones in the first quarter. Last year, they sold 55.4 million phones in the first quarter.
Apple sold fewer phones in China this year. Some Chinese companies and the government don’t want to use Apple phones anymore.
In June, Apple will hold a big conference called WWDC. They will talk about new software for iPhones, iPads, and computers. People want to know if Apple will use AI on its phones.
Last year, Apple was the most valuable company in the world. This year, Microsoft is the most valuable.
Vocabulary11 words
- Fewer
- less; a smaller number;
- So far
- until now; up to the present moment or time
- Worldwide
- all around the world; everywhere in the world
- Million
- 1,000,000 = one-million
- Quarter
- A period of three months; (January, February and March = first quarter of the year)
- Government
- the group of people who have the authority to make and enforce laws and manage a country or region; the people/group that manage and operate a country
- Hold
- to organize; to arrange; to have an event; host
- Conference -
- Software
- Programs or applications that are installed on a computer or smartphone (e.g., Microsoft Office is software, Safari web browser is software)
- Artificial intelligence (AI)
- human intelligence in a machine. See more here.
- Valuable
- worth a lot of money; very important;
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
This year, Apple sold _____ iPhones so far. They sold 10% less phones because there are _____ Android phones now.
But, more _____ were sold worldwide this year. The number went _____ 7.8% to 289.4 million phones. Samsung sold the _____ phones, more than Apple.
Xiaomi, a Chinese _____, sold the third most phones.
Samsung, a company from _____ _____, started selling a new phone called Galaxy S24 in _____. They sold more than 60 million phones in the _____ quarter of this year.
Apple sold 50.1 _____ iPhones in the first quarter. Last year, they sold _____ million phones in the first quarter.
Apple _____ fewer phones in China this year. Some Chinese companies and the _____ don’t want to use Apple phones anymore.
In _____, Apple will hold a big conference called WWDC. They _____ talk about new software for iPhones, iPads, and computers. _____ want to know if Apple will use AI on its phones.
_____ year, Apple was the most valuable company in the world. _____ year, Microsoft is the most valuable.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think Apple's sales are going down? Are their products getting worse? Are other companies' products getting better?
- Why do you think some companies in China and the Chinese government don't want to use iPhones?
- Do you think AI will be important in smartphones in the future?
- What kind of phone do you have? Why did you choose it and not a different phone?
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