Apple iPhones took 6 out of the top 10 Smartphones Globally in 2024 without a single Chinese Vendor making the list
Apple’s iPhone 15 was the best-selling smartphone globally in 2024, according to Counterpoint Research. Apple and Samsung continued to dominate the top 10 best-selling smartphones list, without a single Chinese Vendor making the list for the third consecutive year.
Senior Analyst Karn Chauhan: “Apple's base model iPhone 15 dominated the best-selling smartphone list in 2024. The iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro followed the iPhone 15 as the second and third best-selling smartphones, respectively. Consumer preference for Pro variants increased significantly, with Pro models accounting for more than half of all iPhone sales annually for the first time. Attractive financing plans and trade-in offers on iPhones contributed to the premiumization trend and made the iPhone more accessible to a wider audience, particularly in emerging markets. This trend led to more consumers opting for the latest iPhone, helping Apple enter the Q4 2024 list of India's top five smartphone brands for the first time ever.”
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Research Analyst Harshit Rastogi: “Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra is the first Galaxy S series smartphone to make it into the annual top 10 list since 2018. The growth can be attributed to it being the first smartphone with GenAI capabilities, generating significant consumer interest. Samsung's emphasis on these innovative features has resulted in strong market performance and a first-mover advantage. Notable features like chat/note assist, circle to search, and live translation have gained traction and received positive reviews.”
The adoption of smartphones with GenAI capabilities is forecast to rise, as OEMs are highlighting GenAI as a key differentiator in their high-end offerings. In 2024, five of the top 10 smartphones featured GenAI capabilities. We expect an increase in the number of GenAI-enabled smartphones in 2025.
Update 6 a.m. PST:
While Industry Analyst Canalys didn't publish their report as of yet, they did tweet their chart covering the top 10 smartphones for 2024. Their list is slightly different from Counterpoint's, with the iPhone taking 7 out of the ten top spots as presented below.
Update 2: 10:36 a.m. PST:
The full Canalys report can now be reviewed here.