Top Selling Smartphones of 2022: iPhone's Dominance in Sales

Mar 13

Mar 13 Top Selling Smartphones of 2022: iPhone's Dominance in Sales

In 2022, Apple made history by capturing eight spots in the list of top 10 best-selling smartphones, as reported by Counterpoint Research’s Global Monthly Handset Model Sales Tracker. The remaining two spots were taken by Samsung. This top 10 list accounted for 19% of the total global smartphone sales, which remained the same as the previous year.

Apple’s iPhone 13 was the top-selling smartphone of 2022, contributing 28% of iPhone sales. This device was Apple’s best-selling smartphone in major markets such as China, US, UK, Germany, and France. The iPhone 13 maintained its top spot every month from its launch in September 2021 until August 2022. Its popularity continued in developing markets due to the price cuts following the launch of the iPhone 14 series. The iPhone 13 sales were twice that of the iPhone 13 Pro Max, which was the second best-selling smartphone in 2022.

For the first time, a Pro Max variant of an iPhone series drove more volume than its Pro and base models in 2022. This helped the iPhone 14 Pro Max capture the third spot in the list. It was the top-selling smartphone model for September, October, and November of 2022. The iPhone 14 Pro Max was popular among early adopters and those upgrading to a higher iPhone variant. Its major advancements, such as dynamic island and faster processor, made it more attractive, while the base model was nearly identical to the previous year's model.

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 due to price cuts with each year's new iPhone launch, increasing its value proposition. 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.

Samsung took two spots on the list with its entry-level models, Galaxy A13 and Galaxy A03, one more than the previous year. These were the only 4G/LTE smartphones on the list. The Galaxy A13, which offered attractive specifications for its price (<$250), continued to perform well. It was most popular in Caribbean and Latin America (CALA), followed by India. The Galaxy A03 was the most affordable smartphone on the list. It performed well in developing regions such as CALA and the Middle East and Africa (MEA).

In 2023, we can expect the share of the top 10 smartphones to increase as brands focus on clearing inventory and optimizing their launches. We also anticipate brands continuing to streamline their portfolios in 2023 to minimize cannibalization. The number of active smartphone models in the global market has already decreased from over 4,200 in 2021 to around 3,600 in 2022. Brands will likely focus on premiumization to translate volumes into profitability.