Apple’s iPhone 15 has officially claimed the title of the best-selling smartphone of 2024, more than a year after it was launched. This is according to data from Counterpoint Research, which puts Apple’s 2023 flagship phone at the top of the list. This is an interesting position as it shows Apple’s iPhone 15 beating out not just its Android competitors but even newer devices like the iPhone 16 series.
King of the hill
According to Counterpoint Research, the iPhone 15 topped global smartphone sales in 2024. The iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro came in second and third, respectively.
Interestingly, despite being nearly two years old, the iPhone 15 outperformed Apple’s newest iPhone 16 series. The base iPhone 16 didn’t even make the cut, while the iPhone 16 Pro came in at 9th position, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max came in fifth place.
The iPhone 16 comes with more powerful specs and hardware features like the Camera Control button. However, it is possible that these new features weren’t enough to convince customers to buy the phone. Perhaps given enough time, the iPhone 16 still has a chance to take over the 2025 rankings.
For instance, software updates that introduce newer AI features could drive demand for the iPhone 16 series. Apple hasn’t released its Apple Intelligence features in full yet. The company plans to gradually release new features throughout the year, potentially continuing until 2026.
Surprising Samsung entry
Apple’s iPhones claimed the top three spots as the best-selling smartphones of 2024, but Samsung also had several devices in the top 10 list. In fact, the list seems to be exclusively Apple and Samsung devices. However, the Samsung phone that beat out the iPhone 16 Pro Max isn’t in the flagship Galaxy S24 series.
In fact, Samsung’s budget-friendly Galaxy A series actually outperformed its flagship models. The Galaxy A15 5G, Galaxy A15 4G, and Galaxy A35 5G were among the top-selling smartphones of the year. The combination of affordability and extended software support made these phones stand out above the rest.
That being said, Counterpoint Research notes that the Galaxy S24 Ultra made history as the first Galaxy S series smartphone to enter the top 10 since 2018. Analyst Harshit Rastogi suggests that the new AI features helped drive its growth.
It remains to be seen if Apple can continue holding this position for 2025. What’s interesting is how Samsung’s budget phones made the cut over its flagship siblings. This suggests that as nice as cutting-edge hardware is, price still plays a massive role.
