Mobile industry watchers have revealed some interesting figures regarding the top 10 best-selling phones of the third quarter. Although iPhones continue to lead the way, a few Samsung phones have also made the list, and the Korean tech giant outdid itself in a few areas.
In Q3, the top 3 best-selling phones globally were the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPhone 15 Pro (via Counterpoint Research).
Trailing behind Apple were four low-cost Samsung phones, i.e., the Galaxy A15 and A15 5G, the Galaxy A35, and the Galaxy A05. Each of these Galaxy A phones sold better in Q3 than the iPhone 14.
And finally, the 9th and 10th best-selling phones in Q3 were the Redmi 13C 4G and the Galaxy S24.
Although it might seem like the Galaxy S24 hasn't been much of a winner, it actually outdid many of its predecessors.
Here are a couple of interesting facts that will help put the Galaxy S24 in the light it deserves:
- Since 2018, no Galaxy S flagship has reached the top 10 best-seller list in Q3 — a quarter that is historically dominated by Apple's new iPhone releases. The Galaxy S24 is the first in five years.
- The Galaxy S24 hasn't dropped from the top 10 list for three consecutive quarters.
The tortoise and the hare
Since its release, the Galaxy S24 has been a best-seller. Granted, the Galaxy S24 Ultra sold better than the base model in Q1 and Q2, but in Q3, the Ultra variant dropped out of the top 10 list completely.
Meanwhile, the cheaper and smaller Galaxy S24 model retained its popularity for longer. It broke into the top 10 list even nine months after its debut and finally outperformed its larger and more expensive sibling.
The story continues after the video
Overall, market watchers say the 10 best-selling phones captured 19% of the global market in Q3, and both Apple and Samsung are strengthening their positions in the premium segment through advanced generative AI features.
Samsung was the first to bring its Galaxy AI suite to customers at the beginning of the year, and Apple only recently released its AI tools with limited reach and language support.
