Highlights

• iPhone 14 Pro Max crowned as the best-selling smartphone of 2023.
• iPhone 15 Pro Max follows closely with 33 million units sold.
• Samsung’s Galaxy A14 4G leads among the brand’s models.
• Galaxy S23 series notably absent from the top-selling list.

Apple has taken the lead as the world’s top smartphone seller in 2023, according to a Canalys report.

In case it wasn’t clear before, the figures show a striking dominance by Apple’s range of smartphones, with the iPhone 14 Pro Max leading the pack as the year’s best-selling phone, with an impressive 34 million units shipped worldwide.

Apple’s Winning Streak with iPhone 14 Pro Max and 15 Pro Max

The iPhone 14 Pro Max’s success story shows a brand appeal for the product’s robust features.

Also the continued popularity of the iPhone 14 Pro Max, even after the release of the iPhone 15 series, indicates a win for Apple although there the number could have been aided by price reductions following the newer models’ introduction.

As such, close on the heels of the iPhone 14 Pro Max is the iPhone 15 Pro Max, with 33 million units sold.

For a series that debuted only months prior to the end of the measured period, the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s sales figures can be considered even more impressive as it nearly matched the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s tally.

The iPhone 15 Pro and the standard iPhone 15 also made their presence felt, securing 21 million and 17 million shipments, respectively.

Apple has basically cornered the smartphone market for itself and it can appeal to a broad consumer base with varying features and price preferences.

The Samsung Counterpart

Samsung, Apple’s traditional rival in the smartphone arena, managed to secure positions on the list with its Galaxy A series.

The Galaxy A14 4G led Samsung’s offerings, followed by the A54 5G and A14 5G.

The preference for the Galaxy A14 4G over its 5G counterpart indicates a market segment where 4G capabilities meet consumer needs adequately, particularly at a lower price point.

What’s notably absent from the list are the Galaxy S23 models, which suggests that Samsung’s flagship series may not hit it off with consumers as strongly in 2023 as the company might have hoped. 

Even more troubling is the fact that the Galaxy S23 series actually had a 9-month headstart on the iPhone 15 series and even then it was unable to make the list.

Perhaps, Samsung could be trying a different strategy with the recently released Galaxy S24 to boost those sales numbers up.

FAQs

Q: Which smartphone was the top seller in 2023 according to Canalys?

A: The iPhone 14 Pro Max led global smartphone sales in 2023 with 34 million units shipped.

Q: How did the iPhone 15 series perform in the market?

A: The iPhone 15 series performed strongly, with the iPhone 15 Pro Max nearly matching the sales of the iPhone 14 Pro Max despite being newer to the market.

Q: What does the preference for the Galaxy A14 4G suggest about consumer trends?

A: Consumers’ choice of the Galaxy A14 4G suggests a significant demand for 4G capabilities in certain market segments, particularly where price sensitivity is a factor.

Q: Why might the Galaxy S23 series have been absent from the top-selling list?

A: The absence of the Galaxy S23 series from the list could indicate that it didn’t resonate as strongly with consumers, despite its early release in the year compared to Apple’s models.

Q: iPhone 15 Pro Max will still be the best-selling model in early 2024, says Kuo.Details?

A: The iPhone 15 Pro Max will still be the highest-selling iPhone model in the first half of 2024, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, with its special telephoto lens being highly profitable to supply chain partner Largan.

The premium models of iPhone tend to be the big sellers for Apple, and for the iPhone 15 Pro models, it’s no exception. In analysis of Apple’s camera lens supplier Largan, TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that the Pro Max model is benefiting from sales the most.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max will “still account for 40-45% of iPhone 15 shipments in 1H24,” writes Kuo in a Medium post discussing Largan on Monday. As it turns out, that particular model is very financially beneficial to the supplier, and “critical” to its off-season financial results.

The tetraprism lens arrangement in the Pro Max model is expected to increase Largan’s revenue by NT$3.4 billion to NT$3.8 billion ($108.8 million to $121.7 million) in the first half of the year, says Kuo. “This lens alone could contribute to Largan’s 20-25% YoY revenue growth in 1H24,” he continues.

That lens will be used in more iPhones in the 2024 releases, Kuo said in an early December note. Both Pro models of iPhone 16 will apparently use it.

Largan’s yield of the lens will also continue to improve throughout the period, which will help Largan’s profits further.

This situation with the iPhone 15 Pro Max also means Largan has a “rare positive view of off-season demand for high-end lenses,” Kuo adds, when viewing the business overall.

Largan is anticipated to beat seasonality for the first half of 2024, with a 30% to 40% year-on-year revenue growth and a gross margin above 50%.

Q: What was Apple’s market share in the premium smartphone segment in 2023?

A: In 2023, Apple held a dominant 71% share in the premium smartphone market, a slight decrease from 75% in the previous year, showcasing its continued market leadership.

Q: How did the iPhone 15 Pro Max perform in the Chinese smartphone market?

A: In October, the iPhone 15 Pro Max unexpectedly led China’s smartphone market, securing a 5% market share.

This is particularly notable given the market’s usual preference for local brands like Huawei.

Q: Which other Apple models ranked in the top five in China?

A: Alongside the iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 also made it to the top five best-selling smartphones in China, holding 4% and 3% market shares, respectively.

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