With Apple and Samsung dominating the ‘Top 10’, iPhone 15 becomes the most sold smartphone worldwide in 2024. Samsung claimed four spots, led by the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s GenAI features.
Apple’s iPhone 15 has topped the global smartphone sales chart for 2024, according to Counterpoint Research‘s latest tracker. Both Apple and Samsung continued to dominate the top 10 list of best-selling smartphones throughout the year, with no other brands breaking into the list for a third consecutive year.
This result followed Apple’s CEO Tim Cook’s statement, which mentioned that iPhone has been the top-selling handset in India, which is the second-largest smartphone market in the world. Notably, Apple also entered India’s top five smartphone brands for the first time in Q4 2024.
Globally, Apple’s iPhone 15, the base model, led the rankings, with the iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro following closely behind in second and third. Consumer demand for the Pro variants surged, with Pro models now accounting for over half of all iPhone sales for the first time.
Furthermore, financing offers significantly made iPhones more reachable. Counterpoint’s Senior Analyst Karn Chauhan stated, “Attractive financing plans and trade-in offers on iPhones contributed to the premiumisation trend and made the iPhone more accessible to a wider audience, particularly in emerging markets.”
Besides Apple, Samsung performed strongly, securing four spots in 2024, up from three in 2023. Its Galaxy S24 Ultra marked the first Galaxy S series model to feature in the annual top 10 since 2018. This success is largely attributed to the inclusion of GenAI technology, which piqued consumer interest.
Features like chat/note assist, circle to search, and live translation received positive reviews, cementing the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s strong market performance. Over half of its sales in 2024 came from the US and Western Europe, with notable growth in the Middle East and Africa, reflecting Samsung’s successful expansion strategy.
The Galaxy A15 series outperformed its predecessor, the A14, climbing higher in rankings. Its strong sales across various regions, especially North America, helped fuel its success. The A15’s value proposition as a feature-rich yet affordable smartphone reinforced Samsung’s competitive edge.
Looking ahead, the adoption of smartphones with GenAI capabilities is expected to grow, with five of the top 10 smartphones in 2024 featuring this technology. This trend is set to accelerate in 2025, with more OEMs incorporating GenAI as a key differentiator in their high-end models.
