Today, Counterpoint Research released a new report on global smartphone shipments, shedding light on the latest trends. Surprisingly, the newest and most premium iPhone models stole the show, surpassing all other iPhone variants and giving tough competition to Samsung’s flagship and mid-range smartphones.
According to Counterpoint’s report published this morning, the top 10 best-selling smartphones of Q1 2024 were compared with those of 2023. Notably, the top four spots were dominated by the iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 14, while Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S24 Ultra secured the fifth position.
Following closely, the Galaxy A15 5G and A54 secured the sixth and seventh spots, respectively, with the iPhone 15 Plus trailing in eighth place. Wrapping up the list, the Galaxy S24 and A34 claimed the ninth and tenth spots.
Counterpoint’s data highlights a shift from the usual trend where the base iPhone model outsells its Pro counterparts in non-seasonal quarters. This time, the Pro Max variant claimed the top spot for the first time outside of Apple’s usual seasonal quarters, indicating a growing preference among consumers for high-end smartphones.
Counterpoint estimates that sales of iPhone Pro models contributed to over 60% of Apple’s smartphone revenue. This marks a significant increase from Q1 2020 when Pro devices accounted for only 24% of iPhone sales, climbing to over 50% in Q1 2024.
The research firm attributes the rise in premium smartphone sales to consumers holding onto their devices for longer before upgrading. Looking ahead, Counterpoint predicts that more of the top 10 smartphones will continue to capture a larger share of total smartphone sales.
This data from Counterpoint aligns with previous trends observed in January, where Apple consistently outsold Samsung globally throughout 2023.
While Apple’s high-end iPhone market share shows positive growth, overall iPhone sales saw a decline of 10% in Q1 2024 compared to the previous year. Nevertheless, strong revenue from Apple’s Services segment helped offset the decline in overall revenue for the quarter.
