A recent study by Counterpoint Research revealed that 7 out of the top 10 best-selling smartphones worldwide are iPhones from Apple, with the iPhone 14 leading the pack. The iPhone 15 Pro Max stood out as the top-selling smartphone in Q4 2023. Limited upgrades between the iPhone 13 and 14 led buyers towards the Pro models, boosting Pro model sales last year.
While Apple sold 10 million iPhones in India last year, the majority of sales were in the US and China, which together accounted for half of iPhone sales in 2023. The iPhone 13 retained the fourth position, benefitting from promotional offers in markets like Japan and India. Apple’s overall sales remained stable year-on-year, with declines in some regions offset by significant growth in emerging markets like India, the Middle East, and Africa. On the Android side, Samsung’s affordable A series occupied three spots in the top ten, led by the A14 5G due to its popularity in the US and India, making it the best-selling model in 2023.
The A04e and A14 4G also made the list, appealing to cost-conscious buyers in markets like Brazil and Mexico. The top ten models together accounted for a record 20% of total smartphone sales in 2023, up from 19% the previous year. Counterpoint analysts expect this share to grow in 2024 as brands streamline their portfolios and predict that Chinese OEMs might break into the top ten after years of Apple and Samsung dominance.
