Apple has surpassed Samsung to become the world’s largest phonemaker, according to data from the International Data Corporation (IDC). Apple accounted for over 20% of phones shipped last year, while Samsung took 19.4% of the market share. Chinese phonemakers Xiaomi, OPPO, and Transsion followed behind. Smartphone sales have been declining due to the pandemic, with almost 1.2 billion smartphones sold last year, a drop of over 3% compared to the previous year. However, experts predict that the market will recover this year.

Apple’s success can be attributed to its positive annual growth and its ability to adapt to challenges such as increased regulatory scrutiny and competition from Huawei in China. Huawei, which was banned from buying chips made using US technology, has made progress in developing its own chips. Apple’s premium devices are also in high demand due to offers to trade in old models and interest-free financing plans.

On the other hand, Samsung, which previously held the top spot as the world’s largest maker of memory chips, smartphones, and televisions, has experienced disappointing news. The company warned of lower-than-expected profits due to weak global demand for consumer electronics. Samsung is also facing competition from cheaper Android models, such as Transsion and Xiaomi, which are popular among price-conscious consumers and emerging markets.

The IDC highlights that the smartphone market is entering an interesting phase, with a growing number of Android providers diversifying the market. Customers are increasingly prioritizing foldable phones and AI capabilities. This shift in consumer preferences presents new opportunities and challenges for phonemakers.

In conclusion, Apple’s rise to become the world’s largest phonemaker is a significant achievement, while Samsung faces challenges in maintaining its market position. The smartphone market is evolving, and phonemakers need to adapt to changing consumer preferences and emerging competition.

Original news source: Apple overtakes Samsung as world’s biggest phonemaker (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

Fast

📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Headline Creation
Instructions: Divide the students into pairs or small groups. Give each group a few minutes to come up with a catchy headline that summarizes the main idea of the article. Encourage them to be creative and use their language skills to make the headline engaging and informative. After the time is up, have each group share their headline with the class and discuss which headline they think is the most effective and why.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write a list of key vocabulary words from the article on the board or a piece of paper. Divide the students into pairs or small groups. Give each group a word from the list and ask them to draw a picture that represents that word. They should not write or speak during this activity. After a set amount of time, have each group share their drawing with the class and see if the other students can guess the word. This activity will help reinforce vocabulary and encourage creativity.

– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Divide the students into pairs. Give each pair a set amount of time (e.g. 2 minutes) to summarize the main points of the article to their partner. The goal is for them to convey the main ideas concisely and accurately. After the time is up, have the pairs switch roles and summarize the article again. This activity will help improve their listening and speaking skills, as well as their ability to extract important information from a text.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Pose a discussion question related to the article, such as “What factors do you think contributed to Apple’s success?” or “How do you think Samsung can regain its market position?” Give the students a few minutes to think about their answer individually. Then, have them pair up with a partner and share their thoughts. Afterward, open up the discussion to the whole class, allowing students to share their partner’s ideas and contribute their own. This activity encourages critical thinking, collaboration, and speaking skills.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Ask the students to imagine themselves as industry experts and make predictions about the future of the smartphone market. They should consider factors such as technological advancements, consumer preferences, and competition. Give them time to write down their predictions individually. Then, have them form small groups and discuss their predictions with each other. Finally, have each group share their most interesting or surprising prediction with the class. This activity promotes creative thinking, discussion, and the use of future tenses.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), what percentage of phones shipped last year were accounted for by Apple?
2. Which three phonemakers followed behind Apple and Samsung in market share?
3. What has been the impact of the pandemic on smartphone sales?
4. How has Apple been able to adapt to challenges and maintain its success?
5. What factors have contributed to the high demand for Apple’s premium devices?
6. What challenges is Samsung currently facing in the market?
7. What are some new trends in the smartphone market, according to the IDC?
8. What do phonemakers need to do in order to succeed in the evolving smartphone market?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

(1)______ has surpassed Samsung to become the world’s largest phonemaker, according to data from the International Data Corporation (IDC). Apple accounted for over 20% of phones (2)______ last year, while Samsung took 19.4% of the market share. Chinese phonemakers Xiaomi, OPPO, and Transsion followed behind. Smartphone (3)______ have been declining due to the pandemic, with almost 1.2 billion smartphones sold last year, a drop of over 3% compared to the previous year. However, (4)______ predict that the market will recover this year.

Apple’s success can be attributed to its positive (5)______ growth and its (6)______ to adapt to challenges such as increased regulatory scrutiny and competition from Huawei in China. Huawei, which was banned from buying (7)______ made using US technology, has made progress in developing its own chips. Apple’s premium devices are also in high demand due to (8)______ to trade in old models and interest-free financing plans.

On the other hand, Samsung, which previously held the top spot as the world’s largest maker of memory chips, smartphones, and televisions, has experienced (9)______ news. The (10)______ warned of lower-than-expected profits due to weak global demand for consumer electronics. Samsung is also facing competition from cheaper Android (11)______, such as Transsion and Xiaomi, which are popular among price-conscious consumers and emerging markets.

The IDC highlights that the smartphone market is entering an interesting (12)______, with a growing number of Android providers (13)______ the (14)______. Customers are increasingly prioritizing foldable phones and AI (15)______. This shift in consumer preferences presents new opportunities and challenges for phonemakers.

In conclusion, Apple’s rise to become the world’s largest phonemaker is a significant achievement, while Samsung faces challenges in maintaining its market position. The smartphone market is evolving, and phonemakers need to adapt to changing consumer preferences and (16)______ competition.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What do you think are the reasons behind Apple’s success in becoming the world’s largest phonemaker?
2. How do you feel about the decline in smartphone sales due to the pandemic? Why or why not?
3. Do you think the smartphone market will recover this year? Why or why not?
4. What are some challenges that phonemakers face in today’s market?
5. How important do you think it is for phonemakers to adapt to changing consumer preferences? Why?
6. Do you prefer Apple or Samsung smartphones? Why?
7. What factors do you consider when purchasing a new smartphone?
8. How do you think the competition between Apple and Samsung affects the overall smartphone market?
9. How would you feel if you were a Samsung executive facing lower-than-expected profits? Why?
10. What do you think are the advantages of trade-in offers and interest-free financing plans for Apple’s premium devices?
11. How do you think the ban on Huawei buying chips made using US technology has affected the smartphone market?
12. Do you think foldable phones and AI capabilities are important features for smartphones? Why or why not?
13. What emerging competition do you think will have the biggest impact on the smartphone market in the future?
14. How do you think the smartphone market will continue to evolve in the coming years?
15. What do you think phonemakers can do to stay competitive in a rapidly changing market?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. surpassed
2. attributed
3. regulatory
4. scrutiny
5. competition
6. premium
7. trade-in
8. financing
9. disappointing
10. consumer
11. diversifying
12. prioritizing
13. foldable
14. capabilities
15. evolving

Meanings:
(A) Close examination or observation
(B) Making varied or different in some way; not uniform or identical
(C) Treating something as more important than other things
(D) Exceeded or went beyond
(E) Able to be bent or folded without breaking
(F) Rivalry between parties for the same objective or market
(G) A person who purchases goods and services for personal use
(H) The act of providing funds for business activities, making purchases, or investing
(I) The power or ability to do something
(J) Developing gradually, especially from a simple to a more complex form
(K) Causing a feeling of sadness or displeasure because expectations were not met
(L) Of superior quality or high value
(M) Credited or ascribed to a cause or source
(N) The action of exchanging something old as part payment for something new
(O) Related to the control and direction by rules or laws
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), which company is currently the world’s largest phonemaker?
(a) Samsung
(b) Xiaomi
(c) OPPO
(d) Apple

2. How much of the market share did Apple account for in phone shipments last year?
(a) 19.4%
(b) Less than 20%
(c) Over 20%
(d) More than 19.4%

3. Which country’s phonemakers followed behind Apple and Samsung in market share?
(a) China
(b) Russia
(c) Spain
(d) Germany

4. Why have smartphone sales been declining?
(a) Due to the pandemic
(b) Due to increased regulatory scrutiny
(c) Due to competition from Huawei
(d) Due to a drop in demand for consumer electronics

5. How many smartphones were sold last year?
(a) Over 3%
(b) Less than the previous year
(c) Almost 1.2 billion
(d) None of the above

6. What is one factor contributing to Apple’s success?
(a) Increased regulatory scrutiny
(b) Positive annual growth
(c) Competition from Huawei in China
(d) Weak global demand for consumer electronics

7. Which company was banned from buying chips made using US technology?
(a) Apple
(b) Huawei
(c) Samsung
(d) Xiaomi

8. What are customers increasingly prioritizing in smartphones?
(a) Price-conscious models
(b) Old models and interest-free financing plans
(c) None of the above
(d) Foldable phones and AI capabilities

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Samsung warned of lower-than-expected profits due to weak global demand for consumer electronics.
2. Experts predict that the smartphone market will recover this year.
3. Apple accounted for under 20% of phones shipped last year.
4. Samsung took less than 19.4% of the market share in the phone industry.
5. Chinese phonemakers Xiaomi, OPPO, and Transsion followed behind Apple and Samsung.
6. Apple has not surpassed Samsung to become the world’s largest phonemaker.
7. Smartphone sales increased by over 3% last year due to the pandemic.
8. Apple’s success can be attributed to its positive annual growth and ability to adapt to challenges.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), which company has surpassed Samsung to become the world’s largest phonemaker?
2. What were the factors that contributed to Apple’s success in becoming the largest phonemaker?
3. How has the pandemic affected smartphone sales?
4. Why is Samsung facing challenges in maintaining its market position?
5. What are the new opportunities and challenges that phonemakers are facing in the evolving smartphone market?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), Apple accounted for over 20% of phones shipped last year.
2. The three phonemakers that followed behind Apple and Samsung in market share were Xiaomi, OPPO, and Transsion.
3. The pandemic has caused a decline in smartphone sales, with almost 1.2 billion smartphones sold last year, a drop of over 3% compared to the previous year.
4. Apple has been able to adapt to challenges and maintain its success through positive annual growth, adapting to increased regulatory scrutiny and competition, and offering trade-in programs and interest-free financing plans.
5. The high demand for Apple’s premium devices can be attributed to offers to trade in old models and interest-free financing plans.
6. Samsung is currently facing challenges in maintaining its market position due to weak global demand for consumer electronics and competition from cheaper Android models.
7. According to the IDC, new trends in the smartphone market include a growing number of Android providers diversifying the market, customers prioritizing foldable phones, and increasing demand for AI capabilities.
8. Phonemakers need to adapt to changing consumer preferences and emerging competition in order to succeed in the evolving smartphone market.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) Apple
(2) shipped
(3) sales
(4) experts
(5) annual
(6) ability
(7) chips
(8) offers
(9) disappointing
(10) company
(11) models
(12) phase
(13) diversifying
(14) market
(15) capabilities
(16) emerging
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. surpassed
Answer: (D) Exceeded or went beyond

2. attributed
Answer: (M) Credited or ascribed to a cause or source

3. regulatory
Answer: (O) Related to the control and direction by rules or laws

4. scrutiny
Answer: (A) Close examination or observation

5. competition
Answer: (F) Rivalry between parties for the same objective or market

6. premium
Answer: (L) Of superior quality or high value

7. trade-in
Answer: (N) The action of exchanging something old as part payment for something new

8. financing
Answer: (H) The act of providing funds for business activities, making purchases, or investing

9. disappointing
Answer: (K) Causing a feeling of sadness or displeasure because expectations were not met

10. consumer
Answer: (G) A person who purchases goods and services for personal use

11. diversifying
Answer: (B) Making varied or different in some way; not uniform or identical

12. prioritizing
Answer: (C) Treating something as more important than other things

13. foldable
Answer: (E) Able to be bent or folded without breaking

14. capabilities
Answer: (I) The power or ability to do something

15. evolving
Answer: (J) Developing gradually, especially from a simple to a more complex form
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), which company is currently the world’s largest phonemaker?
Answer: (d) Apple

2. How much of the market share did Apple account for in phone shipments last year?
Answer: (c) Over 20%

3. Which country’s phonemakers followed behind Apple and Samsung in market share?
Answer: (a) China

4. Why have smartphone sales been declining?
Answer: (a) Due to the pandemic

5. How many smartphones were sold last year?
Answer: (c) Almost 1.2 billion

6. What is one factor contributing to Apple’s success?
Answer: (b) Positive annual growth

7. Which company was banned from buying chips made using US technology?
Answer: (b) Huawei

8. What are customers increasingly prioritizing in smartphones?
Answer: (d) Foldable phones and AI capabilities
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Samsung warned of lower-than-expected profits due to weak global demand for consumer electronics. (Answer: True)
2. Experts predict that the smartphone market will recover this year. (Answer: True)
3. Apple accounted for under 20% of phones shipped last year. (Answer: False)
4. Samsung took less than 19.4% of the market share in the phone industry. (Answer: False)
5. Chinese phonemakers Xiaomi, OPPO, and Transsion followed behind Apple and Samsung. (Answer: True)
6. Apple has not surpassed Samsung to become the world’s largest phonemaker. (Answer: False)
7. Smartphone sales increased by over 3% last year due to the pandemic. (Answer: False)
8. Apple’s success can be attributed to its positive annual growth and ability to adapt to challenges. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧