iPhone 12 range sells over 100 million, two months faster than iPhone 11

New research claims that the long-predicted iPhone "super cycle" has arrived, resulting in the iPhone 12 family selling over 100 million units since release.

Counterpoint Research has previously reported that the iPhone 12 was the world's best selling 5G phone in October 2020. Now it claims that worldwide, the range has achieved a super cycle, in both sales numbers, and the time taken to reach them.

"The iPhone 12 series' cumulative global sales crossed the 100 million units mark in April 2021, according to Counterpoint Research's mobile handset Market Pulse Service," writes Counterpoint's Varun Mishra in a statement. "The series was able to achieve this feat in the seventh month after its launch, which is two months earlier than the iPhone 11 series."

"[It is] almost the same as the iPhone 6 series that helped Apple achieve its first volume super-cycle at the cusp of 4G transition," continues Mishra. "With the iPhone 12 series, Apple has achieved another volume super-cycle after six generations of iPhones and at the cusp of 5G transition."

Counterpoint notes that there appears to have been a noticeable change in which model customers buy. "Consumers preferred the highest version of the iPhone 12 series during the first seven months after the series' launch," it says.

"The share [then] of the Pro Max version in the iPhone 12 series sales was 29%, compared to the 25% for the same model of the iPhone 11 series," continues Counterpoint's report. "This is also one of the reasons for the iPhone 12 series grossing 22% more revenue than the iPhone 11 series in the first seven months of its launch."

Nonetheless, the research firm says that the iPhone 12 Pro Max has consistently been the highest-selling smartphone in the US since December 2020.

Separately, Counterpoint Research has recently also claimed that the active user base of the iPhone 12 grew faster than that of the iPhone 11. That was despite the iPhone 12 range going on sale substantially later in the year than usual.

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