Xiaomi Re-Enters the Top 10 Smartphone List, While Apple and Samsung Remain at the Top

With nine slots, Samsung and Apple maintained their dominance over the top ten lists in Q2 2024.
By taking the eighth place, Xiaomi managed to break through Apple-Samsung's two-quarter dominance.
Sales of the iPhone 15 series increased by 4% in Q2 2024 when compared to the same period the previous year, indicating an increasing demand for current-generation iPhones among consumers.
Samsung was able to raise its total unit sales in the top 10 despite part of its sales being moved to Q1 due to the earlier launch of the S24 series.

Seoul, Beijing, Taipei, Tokyo, New Delhi, Hong Kong, London, Boston, Buenos Aires, Fort Collins, and Seoul – July 31, 2024. According to Counterpoint Research's Global Monthly Handset Model Sales Tracker, Apple and Samsung maintained their dominance in the top-10 list of best-selling smartphones in Q2 2024, taking nine slots together. But compared to the second quarter of the previous year, when the two brands owned all ten slots, this was a drop of one spot.

After being dominated by Apple and Samsung for two straight quarters, Xiaomi returned to the list and took Samsung's place. With its four iPhone models, Apple maintained its position on the list. iPhones were ranked lower on the list, though. The iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPhone 15 Pro took the top three slots this quarter, respectively, while the iPhone 14 series and iPhone 13 held all four of the top spots in Q2 2023. The iPhone 14 was only able to secure the sixth position.

In Q2 2024, Apple's share of the top 10 in terms of overall sales volume and sales share decreased year over year. On the other hand, the Pro series' sales volume and share increased, indicating a shift in consumer desire towards higher-end smartphones together with a decline in the ranking of the earlier iPhone generation.

Although the premiumization trend appears to be contradicted by Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra's slight drop in ranking to No. 9 in Q2 2024 from the S23 Ultra's No. 8 position in Q2 2023, part of the reason for this was the flagship's relatively early launch this year, which moved some sales to Q1. The Galaxy A15 5G, followed by its 4G variant, was the highest-ranked Samsung smartphone this quarter. Popular in the lower end of the mid-tier segment, the A15 series offers effective multitasking capabilities. The two other Samsung devices on the list were from the A series as well. Seventh place went to the Galaxy A55 5G, which is more expensive than other mid-tier smartphones but has some intriguing security features. Tenth place went to a lower-end model, the Galaxy A05.

The Redmi 13C 4G from Xiaomi was the only other brand to make the list, coming in at number eight. The Redmi 12C, its predecessor, had also cracked the top 10. The Redmi C smartphones are an improvement over the lower-end A series devices, which were previously Redmi's customary entry on the list, since their availability is spreading outside their traditional strongholds in Asia, Middle East and Africa (MEA) and the Caribbean and Latin America (CALA).

In Q2 2024, there were five premium phones in the top 10, which remained unchanged from Q2 2023. However, their total sales as a percentage of the global smartphone market decreased by approximately 1.5%. This is a larger picture. The S24 Ultra's early release and the challenges the iPhone 15 series was having in China were factors in this drop, which is not indicative of a larger pattern. Furthermore, Huawei's high-end phones have taken over a significant portion of Apple's lost Chinese market share. With the release of the iPhone 16 series and an increase in GenAI devices throughout the year, we anticipate that the long-term trend towards premiumization will continue.

Context:
Global market research company Counterpoint Technology Market Research focusses on goods for the TMT (technology, media, and telecom) sector. It provides a range of monthly reports, tailored projects, and in-depth analysis of the mobile and technology sectors to major technology and financial firms. Its principal analysts are seasoned professionals in the high-tech sector. (*)