Counterpoint Research’s latest global monthly handset model sales tracker reveals that Apple became the first brand to secure eight spots in the global top 10 smartphones list in 2022. Samsung captured the remaining two spots on the list. Collectively, the top 10 smartphones contributed to 19% of total global smartphone sales in 2022.
iPhone 13 was Apple’s best-selling smartphone model in 2022
In addition to retailing iPhone 13, Apple launched iPhone SE (third-generation) and iPhone 14 series in 2022. However, Apple’s most popular model was the standard 6.1-inch iPhone 13 and the high-end iPhone 13 Pro Max secured the second spot on the list.
Apple’s iPhone 13 was the best-selling smartphone of 2022, contributing 28% of iPhone sales. It was the best-selling smartphone in major markets such as China, US, UK, Germany and France. Further, the iPhone 13 remained the number one smartphone each month from its launch in September 2021 till August 2022.
Price cuts after the iPhone 14 series’ launch further drove the iPhone 13 volumes in developing markets. The iPhone 13 sales were two times more than that of the iPhone 13 Pro Max, the second best-selling smartphone in 2022.
Advanced features on the iPhone 14 Pro Max like the A16 Bionic chip, Always-On display, Dynamic Island, and others made it the top-selling smartphone model for September, October, and November of 2022.
Surprisingly, iPhone 12 and iPhone SE 3 also made it on the list. Popular in the US, China, and Japan, iPhone 12 captured the sixth spot and iPhone SE 3 secure the ninth spot due to good sales in Japan. The report explains:
The iPhone 12, the best-selling smartphone of 2021, was the oldest model in the top 10 for 2022. Its sales remained robust in the US, Japan and China. The price cuts with each year’s new iPhone launch increased its value proposition while its 5G capability also played an important role.
The iPhone SE 2022, among the most compact phones in the industry, grabbed the tenth spot. Like its predecessor, it managed to sell well in Japan.
