Apple isn’t just leading the dance, it’s setting the pace with three generations of iPhones that have been hits: the iPhone 13, iPhone 14 and iPhone 15, the latter making a sensational debut in 2023 despite only four months of commercialization. .
After the Canalys ranking, when we take a look at the latest Counterpoint Research rankings, we get confirmation that Apple has taken the upper hand. With three generations of iPhones — 13, 14 and the most recent 15 — taking the lion’s share, Apple hasn’t stolen its spot as the world’s number one smartphone manufacturer.
Apple dominates
Among Apple’s champions, the iPhone 14 takes the prize as the best-selling smartphone this year. A success that can be explained by its success in the United States and China, these two markets alone represent half of its sales.
However, if we compare with the previous year, the iPhone 14 could not reach the heights of the iPhone 13, which captured 28% of the total iPhone sales in 2022 compared to 19% for the iPhone 14 in 2022. This shows that Apple fans have more choices and are not limited to just one model, and it also shows that the iPhone 14 definitely had enough to differentiate itself from the iPhone 13. Also note that the iPhone 15 Pro Max was the best-selling smartphone. Fourth quarter of 2023.
While the smartphone sector is seeing some players lose their footing, Apple is staying on course in 2023. His secret? Strategic expansion into emerging markets, particularly India and the Middle East and Africa region, where demand for iPhones is growing. India in particular has reached a major milestone by selling more than 10 million iPhone units in a year. This is a major blow for Apple, which is increasingly banking on these new markets to boost its sales.
What is striking in this ranking is the absence of Chinese brands, although they are very present in the market. This highlights the overwhelming dominance of Apple and Samsung, but also shows the challenges Chinese manufacturers face in reaching the top of global sales. Samsung is no slouch, but its Galaxy A14 5G, A04e and A14 4G models fall behind the pack, playing the entry-level card.
