According to Counterpoint Research’s Market Pulse, iPhone 11 raced to become the second best selling phone globally for 2019 despite it being launched in September.  The first iPhone with multiple cameras was launched at a lower price than its predecessor. This also indicates the impact of the new iPhone series during the all-important holiday season in Q4. Out of the top ten models, Apple captured six places with iPhone XR being the top-selling model globally in 2019, capturing a 3% market share.

Apple is followed by Samsung with three models, all from its A series, among the top 10. The mid-range A series with features like OLED display, multiple cameras, in-display fingerprint sensor, coupled with the brand power of Samsung created an excellent value proposition for buyers. The revamp of A series has paved the way for a successful mid-tier strategy for Samsung.

Exhibit 1: 2019 Global Smartphone Top 10 Model Sales Market Share

Oppo replaced Xiaomi’s position from 2018, with its A5, which was also the top-selling model in China.

Within the regions, the top selling models in APAC were from OPPO. In EMEA and LATAM they were from Samsung, and in NAM they were from Apple – highlighting the regional popularity of these brands.

Apple captured all the top five places in North America, while Samsung captured all five in the Middle East and Africa. However, the combined share of the top five models in NAM nearly 30%; the highest among all regions, and an indication of market consolidation. iPhone XR was the only model to capture double-digit market share in any region.

Exhibit 2: Global Smartphone Top 10 Model Sales Market Share

Huawei the second-largest player in the global smartphone sales, had no models in the top 10 Globally. The company, which has concentrated its efforts in China after the trade ban was imposed, had its Huawei P30 in the top five models in China.

realme entered the top five in RoAPAC for the first time ever with its C2. This was driven by strong growth in the India and SEA market. In fact, realme was the fastest growing brand globally for CY 2019 (426% YoY).

The top 10 models alone captured approximately 15% of the global smartphone sales. 5G still contributed to only 1% sales in 2019 hence, there were no 5G models among the top 10. However, this might change in 2020, as the networks roll out, Apple launches its 5G iPhones and 5G devices enter lower price tiers.