Apple's iPhone dominated 2022 smartphone sales

Apple continues to be the top-selling smartphone vendor in the world, with iPhone lines occupying eight of the top ten in global sales rankings for 2022.

Apple's iPhone lineup has consistently been popular with consumers, with models often appearing high up in sales lists. In a new worldwide ranking of best-selling smartphones in 2022, Apple has managed to dominate the board one more time.

According to Counterpoint Research's list of the Global Top 10 Smartphones, which uses data from the analyst firm's Global Monthly Handset Model Sales Tracker, iPhones take up eight of the spots, including the top three positions.

In the rankings, the iPhone 13 was first with a 5% share of the market across the year, followed by 2.6% for the iPhone 13 Pro Max, then 1.7% for the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

The iPhone 13 Pro was fifth with 1.6%, the iPhone 12 sixth at 1.5%, iPhone 14 seventh at 1.4%, and the iPhone 14 Pro eighth at 1.2%. The 2022 iPhone SE rounds out Apple's occupation in ninth place with 1.1%.

The only other vendor on the list was Samsung, with the long-time rival managing fourth place with 1.6% for the Galaxy A13, and tenth for the Galaxy A03 at 1.1%.

[Counterpoint]

The iPhone 13's sales performance was spectacular, being in first place from January until August, before descending down to a respectable monthly 4th place. Counterpoint also says it was the best-selling smartphone in markets including China, the UK, US, Germany, and France.

It was also the first time a Pro Max variant drove more volume than other models in the same generation, with the iPhone 14 Pro Max doing just that with firsts in September to November. Early adopters and those upgrading to a higher variant are cited as contributors to its success.

"We believe the share of the top 10 smartphones will increase in 2023 as brands focus on clearing inventory and optimizing their launches," Counterpoint forecasts for the year ahead.

The firm continued, warning "We also expect brands to continue making their portfolios leaner in 2023 to minimize cannibalization. The number of active smartphone models in the global market has already fallen from over 4,200 in 2021 to around 3,600 in 2022."

While this could apply to most of the smartphone market, Apple's continued success will probably lead it to continue offering its usual product range.

The 2022 results mirror similar rankings covering 2021, when Counterpoint said the iPhone secured seven positions on the list, including the block of top five positions.

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20 Comments

red oak 1104 comments · 13 Years

About 1 year ago

Apple is completely dismantling Samsung

Look at the consistent strength of the SE. Narrative violation alert

lkrupp 10521 comments · 19 Years

Okay trolls, this is about phones, not operating systems. Understand?

avon b7 8041 comments · 20 Years

lkrupp said:

Okay trolls, this is about phones, not operating systems. Understand?

You have misunderstood yourself it seems.

Yes, it is about phones but more precisely, phone models.

Let's take a simplistic approach. FTA:

"The firm continued, warning "We also expect brands to continue making their portfolios leaner in 2023 to minimize cannibalization. The number of active smartphone models in the global market has already fallen from over 4,200 in 2021 to around 3,600 in 2022."

3,600!

How many models does Apple have?

How many models does Samsung have?

How many models do the Chinese manufacturers have?

Some companies sell the same phones under different model names depending on the market.

If all those manufacturers had the same amount of models as Apple, how would it alter numbers?

I cannot really remember a year when Apple hasn't sold the most - by model.

The reason is clear. The figures themselves mean virtually nothing.

davidw 2119 comments · 17 Years

avon b7 said:

lkrupp said:

Okay trolls, this is about phones, not operating systems. Understand?

You have misunderstood yourself it seems.

Yes, it is about phones but more precisely, phone models.

Let's take a simplistic approach. FTA:

"The firm continued, warning "We also expect brands to continue making their portfolios leaner in 2023 to minimize cannibalization. The number of active smartphone models in the global market has already fallen from over 4,200 in 2021 to around 3,600 in 2022."

3,600!

How many models does Apple have?

How many models does Samsung have?

How many models do the Chinese manufacturers have?

Some companies sell the same phones under different model names depending on the market.

If all those manufacturers had the same amount of models as Apple, how would it alter numbers?

I cannot really remember a year when Apple hasn't sold the most - by model.

The reason is clear. The figures themselves mean virtually nothing.

The figures takes on more meaning when you include this stat .

https://gulfbusiness.com/apple-again-dominates-smartphone-profit/

85%!

It doesn't matter how many other models there are out there, if the few models Apple have can capture 50% of all smartphone sale revenue and 85% of the profits. Of course one of thing that has to be considered, when looking at the 85% of the smartphone profits, is that none of the relatively few phones that Apple sells are losing money. They all have pretty healthy profit margins, though Apple had never officially reveal what they are . Where other venders (including Samsung) are selling some of their phones at very little profit or at a loss, to capture marketshare.

davidw said:

avon b7 said:

lkrupp said:

Okay trolls, this is about phones, not operating systems. Understand?

You have misunderstood yourself it seems.

Yes, it is about phones but more precisely, phone models.

Let's take a simplistic approach. FTA:

"The firm continued, warning "We also expect brands to continue making their portfolios leaner in 2023 to minimize cannibalization. The number of active smartphone models in the global market has already fallen from over 4,200 in 2021 to around 3,600 in 2022."

3,600!

How many models does Apple have?

How many models does Samsung have?

How many models do the Chinese manufacturers have?

Some companies sell the same phones under different model names depending on the market.

If all those manufacturers had the same amount of models as Apple, how would it alter numbers?

I cannot really remember a year when Apple hasn't sold the most - by model.

The reason is clear. The figures themselves mean virtually nothing.

The figures takes on more meaning when you include this stat .

https://gulfbusiness.com/apple-again-dominates-smartphone-profit/

85%!

It doesn't matter how many other models there are out there, if the few models Apple have can capture 50% of all smartphone sale revenue and 85% of the profits. Of course one of thing that has to be considered, when looking at the 85% of the smartphone profits, is that none of the relatively few phones that Apple sells are losing money. They all have pretty healthy profit margins, though Apple had never officially reveal what they are . Where other venders (including Samsung) are selling some of their phones at very little profit or at a loss, to capture marketshare.

Revenue, ASP and profit have literally nothing to do with the point.