Top four smartphones sold globally in fiscal Q2 were iPhones

Top selling smartphones are all iPhones

Apple's iPhone 12 lineup dominated the smartphone market in terms of revenue share and sales volume in fiscal Q2 2021 according to research.

Apple has expressed that the iPhone 12 is seeing record adoption and is very popular in several global markets. New research backs up this assertion with data showing that the 5G iPhone lineup is taking up over 12% of global sales volume in the second fiscal quarter of 2021.

A report from Counterpoint Research covering global sales revenue and volume show the iPhone is dominating the market. Even the least popular of the new models, the iPhone 12 mini, hit the sixth spot in global revenue earned.

The global smartphone revenue crossed $100 billion in fiscal Q2 2021, setting a record. The most popular devices were also among the most expensive, driving the average sale price and revenue of smartphones much higher. The iPhone 12 Pro Max generated the most revenue for a single device globally and was also the best selling model in the US.

Nearly all of the models in the top ten revenue list had 5G except for Apple's iPhone 11 and iPhone SE. Premium smartphones priced over $400 contributed to 65% of the $100 billion in global revenue.

Sales revenue and volume charts provided by Counterpoint

Apple also held the top four spots in global sales volume, according to the report. The iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 11 made up over 12% of the smartphone market share alone. The iPhone 12 mini didn't make the top ten charts in sales volume despite being sixth in revenue generated, which means cheaper smartphones sold in much greater volumes to Apple's entry models.

Samsung and Redmi controlled the bottom half of the volume chart with smartphones that sell for less than $250. The Asian, Latin American, and Indian markets drove this segment due to the demand for affordable smartphones.

Apple hasn't reported sales volumes or average selling prices in years. This makes it difficult to determine how accurate analysts are in predictions such as this.

Apple had a record breaking second quarter and expects the iPhone to continue breaking records into Q3 due to pent-up demand and continued supply chain delays. The company bolstered iPhone sales further with a new purple color for its best-selling iPhone 12 line.

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8 Comments

pulseimages

said about 2 years ago

Is the 12 Mini really that bad of a phone? I have a SE 2016 and am looking to upgrade to the 13 Mini this fall if the battery is better.

mike1

said about 2 years ago

pulseimages said:

Is the 12 Mini really that bad of a phone? I have a SE 2016 and am looking to upgrade to the 13 Mini this fall if the battery is better.

If you listen to the rumors here, you may want to pick up a 12 Mini now.
Key question Apple needs to ask is whether the people who bought a 12 mini or would buy a 13 Mini would buy a different iPhone of the Mini didn't exist.
While 2% of sales revenue is still a lot money, does it represent incremental business that otherwise would be lost? My guess is probably not.

However, there may be strategic reasons to offer that sized phone worldwide. Maybe it will become the form factor for a new SE.

My wife held on to her original SE in hopes of a smaller phone again someday and bough a 12 Mini right away. She loves it.

iMegadeth

said about 2 years ago

But Q2 is not over yet, and the data on this article is from Q1...

Marvin

said about 2 years ago

pulseimages said:

Is the 12 Mini really that bad of a phone? I have a SE 2016 and am looking to upgrade to the 13 Mini this fall if the battery is better.

The mini is a good phone, the battery life isn't all that different from the other models:

https://www.phonearena.com/news/Apple-iPhone-12-Mini-battery-life-test-mah-capacity_id128421

The battery life is a physical limitation due to the size. iPhone mini battery = 2227mAh, iPhone 12/Pro = 2815mAh, iPhone 12 Pro Max = 3787mAh.

Each lower one is around 80% the capacity of the one above so you get 80% of the battery life. 8 hours vs 10 hours for some people could be the difference between getting through a working day without charging because typically you wouldn't drain to 0. This isn't easily fixed without battery advances or making the phone thicker and I don't think Apple would prefer people buy the cheapest model in the lineup.

The market as a whole has moved to larger displays and I suspect people on the upgrade program will continue upgrading to the model at the same price point.

The mini works well for people who don't use a phone much because it's compact but provides all the functionality needed. For people who regularly take photos/selfies, play games, manage their social media, the bigger screen is useful to have and these type of users drive the market. The iPhone 12 and 12 Pro aren't huge devices either, they fit comfortably in pockets for men and handbags for women. 25% of iPhone users are on the Pro Max, which is quite bulky for pockets but no problem for bags.