New data from market research firm Counterpoint shows just how utterly dominant the iPhone was last year. According to the company’s sales tracker, Apple made seven of the ten best-selling phones in the world in 2021. In fact, all of the top five consist of iPhone models. Xiaomi and Samsung managed to sneak past the list, but it’s clear that most Android phones had no chance of toppling the iPhone in 2021.
The iPhone has outsold its Android rivals globally in 2021
Counterpoint data shows that the top five selling smartphones in the world in 2021 were the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 13, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 11.
As for the rest of the list, the Galaxy A12 comes in at number six. This means that Samsung’s most popular phone of the year was a budget device. And right behind, in seventh place, is Xiaomi’s Redmi 9A, which sells for even less than the A12. Apple returns for eighth and ninth place with the iPhone SE 2020 and iPhone 13 Pro Max. Finally, Xiaomi manages to get a second phone on the list with the Redmi 9 in tenth place.
It should be noted that the iPhone 13 was only available on September 24. Nevertheless, it still managed to climb to third place for the year ahead of countless phones on sale all year. Unsurprisingly, these are Apple’s best results to date.
Other interesting details
Counterpoint says there were over 4,200 active smartphone models on the market in 2021. With that in mind, the fact that the top five selling iPhones accounted for over 11% of global smartphone sales is even more impressive.
Counterpoint also notes that the Galaxy A12 has been a big international hit. Its main markets were North America, Latin America and Western Europe. When consumers were looking to buy an entry-level Android instead of an iPhone in 2021, they looked to the A12.
iPhone vs Android: Which Should You Buy?
Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this question. But there are other questions you can ask yourself that should make the decision easier.
Do you use other Apple devices, like a MacBook, iPad, or AirPods? If so, any of these devices will work much better with an iPhone than with any Android. For example, the AirPods Pro are still among the best wireless headphones on the market for any device, but you’re going to miss out on some key features if you try to use them with Android devices.
On the other hand, if price is the main concern, even the most affordable iPhone is still significantly more expensive than an entry-level Android phone. Samsung is currently selling the Galaxy A12 for $104.99 on its website. Meanwhile, Apple’s new third-generation iPhone SE that debuted at Tuesday’s Peek Performance event starts at $429.
There’s clearly a reason the iPhone continues to top the charts every year. We touted the greatness of the iPhone 13 Pro in our review late last year. But not everyone wants an iPhone, and luckily for them, there are around 4,000 other options.