Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Max might be one of the market’s most expensive devices, but that has not stopped consumers from picking up this flagship. The latest report from Counterpoint Research reveals that this particular iPhone was the best-selling smartphone worldwide in Q1 2024.
Despite focusing exclusively on flagships, Apple has continued to dominate global smartphone sales. According to the report, the top four highest-grossing devices from the first quarter were iPhones, followed by the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Apple and Samsung Lead Global Smartphone Sales
In the last few years, Apple and Samsung have remained the top two phone makers in the world in terms of sales volume, as evidenced by the table below.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max was the top-selling smartphone for the first quarter, followed by the base model iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Pro. The Pro models also saw significant upgrades, with a new titanium frame and a tetraprism lens on the top-end Pro Max variant.
Counterpoint Research’s numbers also reflect that consumers are more interested in the new tetraprism lens with 5x optical zoom, which is exclusive to the top-end variant. However, the iPhone 15 Plus is nowhere to be seen in the charts, indicating that buyers are leaning towards the iPhone 15 Pro instead of getting the 15 Plus.
Of course, the iPhone 15 series came with one of the most important and long-awaited changes, likely boosting sales. In 2023, Apple finally abandoned the legacy of the Lightning port with the latest iPhone 15 Series by switching to the more universal USB-C. This likely encouraged more consumers to make the upgrade.
While the Galaxy S-Series has been the frontline of Samsung’s flagships, a major portion of their sales are contributed by their mid-range A-Series. For instance, during the same period last year, the Galaxy A13 was Samsung’s most selling device. But in 2024, Galaxy S24 Ultra has taken the top spot, as numbers show. Notably, it was the first device in consumer markets with generative AI features like translation, powerful image editing, etc. The base model Galaxy S24 has also entered the top 10 list.
Apple and Samsung are expected to lead the smartphone sales over the next few quarters. According to previous reports from Counterpoint Research, India is expected to be the third-largest market for iPhones in the world. The company is also expanding its operations in India by setting up additional manufacturing units and exclusive offline showrooms.
