• The iPhone 15 was followed closely by the iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro.

• In a first for a third quarter, half of the total iPhone sales were contributed by iPhone Pro Series variants.

• Samsung’s Galaxy S24 managed to retain a spot in the top 10 for the third consecutive quarter.

• For the first time in a third quarter since 2018, a Galaxy S series variant entered the top 10.

• The top 10 models captured 19% of the global smartphone market’s sales in Q3 2024.

Seoul, Beijing, Boston, Buenos Aires, Fort Collins, Hong Kong, London, New Delhi, Taipei, Tokyo – Nov 07, 2024

Apple’s iPhone 15 was the best-selling smartphone globally in Q3 2024, followed closely by the iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro, according to Counterpoint Research’s Global Handset Model Sales Tracker. Samsung maintained the biggest presence in the global top-10 best-selling smartphones list with five spots, followed by Apple with four and Xiaomi with one. This distribution has remained consistent from 2023, indicating stable consumer preferences. While Apple’s share of the top-10 list has declined slightly, Samsung’s presence has grown to keep the combined market contribution of the top 10 smartphones at around 19%.

The growing consumer preference for high-end smartphones is gradually narrowing the market share gap between the iPhone’s base and Pro variants. Notably, for the first time in a third quarter, half of the total iPhone sales were contributed by the Pro variants in Q3. This shift is helping Apple drive higher-value device sales.

Besides, consumers are opting for the latest iPhones, especially in emerging markets, which further contributes to Apple’s higher-value sales. This trend is supported by attractive financing schemes and trade-in offers, making the latest iPhones more accessible to a broader range of income brackets.

Samsung’s Galaxy S24 retained a spot in the top 10 in Q3 2024 for the third consecutive quarter. Also, for the first time in a third quarter since 2018, a Galaxy S series variant entered the top 10. Sales of the Galaxy S24 series have been mainly driven by a strong marketing focus on its GenAI capabilities.

Samsung’s Galaxy A series captured four spots in the top-10 list owing to its wider presence across geographies and focus on the larger customer segments in the entry and mid-price bands. Samsung has effectively positioned these devices with competitive pricing and longer software support. However, in the top-10 list, the high-end Galaxy A series phones have been squeezed by the Galaxy S series and A series mid-segment phones.

Xiaomi’s Redmi 13C, succeeding the Redmi 12C from last year, maintained its spot in the list for the second consecutive quarter owing to its affordability and presence in emerging markets. The smartphone stands out in its price segment by offering better specifications.

Apple and Samsung are further strengthening their premium positioning with Apple Intelligence and Galaxy AI, which will help them continue to dominate these rankings. Both brands are leveraging GenAI as a differentiating factor in the premium segment.

Background

Counterpoint Technology Market Research is a global research firm specializing in products in the TMT (technology, media and telecom) industry. It services major technology and financial firms with a mix of monthly reports, customized projects, and detailed analyses of the mobile and technology markets. Its key analysts are seasoned experts in the high-tech industry.

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