Apple iPhone 16 remains the top-selling smartphone in the world in 2024

New data tracking the market share of different mobile operating systems has revealed that smartphone sales saw a slight uptick globally in late 2024, thanks largely to holiday shopping in the US and Australia. Some of the key takeaways from the report by market research firm Kantar include that Apple’s iPhone 16 series remained the top seller worldwide, while Android experienced growth in the Asia Pacific region. Interestingly, artificial intelligence (AI) features are starting to influence consumer choices, with over one in five buyers saying AI played a role in their brand preference.

Drilling the findings down to specific regions, the report also reveals that Europe’s major markets (France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, and Spain) experienced relatively stable sales overall, however, France, Germany, and Spain saw some growth. Samsung remained the top Android brand, particularly strong in Great Britain with the Galaxy A55 as its best-selling model.

However, it was noted that the competition is heating up for Samsung from Xiaomi and Google Pixel. Additionally, Apple’s iPhone 16 series also performed well in Europe, especially in Great Britain. Google Pixel 9 series sales slowed down a bit, with the older Pixel 8 series performing better due to holiday discounts. Xiaomi’s discounted 13 series sold well in Spain.

Europe	United States	Australia	Mainland China	Japan
iPhone 16 Pro	iPhone 16 Pro Max	iPhone 16 Pro Max	iPhone 16 Pro Max	iPhone 16
Samsung Galaxy A55	iPhone 16	iPhone 16	iPhone 16 Pro	iPhone 16 Pro
iPhone 15	iPhone 16 Pro	iPhone 16 Pro	iPhone 16	iPhone 15
iPhone 16	iPhone 15	iPhone 12	Huawei Mate 60 Pro	iPhone 14
iPhone 16 Pro Max	iPhone 14	Samsung Galaxy A35	Huawei Mate 60	Google Pixel 8a

Top 5 selling smartphones by region in 2024 | Source — Kantar (based on Worldpanel ComTech Smartphone Operating System (OS) data for Q4)

What’s happening in the U.S. and Asia?

Unsurprisingly, Apple continued its U.S. dominance, with iOS maintaining a 54% market share. The iPhone 16 series captured 20% of total sales, with the 16 Pro Max being the most popular. Samsung sales were steady, with the budget-friendly Galaxy A15 and the flagship Galaxy S24 series leading the way. Both Motorola and Google Pixel increased their market share, with the Google Pixel 9 Pro as the top Pixel model.

In the Asia Pacific region, more varied sales prevailed, with results favoring local brands, particularly in China:

In Australia, for example, Apple faced some challenges despite the iPhone 16 series doing well. That said, Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra continued to perform strongly, even months after its release.
Mainland China saw Android’s strength, led by local brands like Vivo and Xiaomi, with Huawei holding the top spot. Apple’s iPhone 16 series, particularly the Pro Max, still led in top-selling models.
Japan saw Android growth driven by Motorola, Samsung, and Google Pixel. Pixel even overtook Sharp as the top Android brand, thanks to the popular and budget-friendly Pixel 8a. However, Apple iOS remained the top OS — although it lost some share — with the iPhone 16 series dominating the bestseller lists.

Does anyone actually care about AI?

Contrary to what some may think, AI is reportedly becoming increasingly important in the smartphone world. A recent survey, conducted by Worldpanel ComTech with its panelists, showed that 23% of smartphone buyers in Europe and the US considered AI features when choosing a brand. This was even higher for iPhone buyers, at 27%, reflecting Apple’s focus on AI in its marketing.

As we enter 2025, AI innovation will continue to be a focal point for smartphone manufacturers. However, we may see the onset of ‘AI fatigue’, with consumers becoming apathetic or indifferent toward AI features. The ‘killer’ AI smartphone feature remains elusive, but I believe it will eventually emerge as a truly personalized assistant that integrates seamlessly across all applications on the phone. Samsung has taken a bold step in this direction with its Now Brief assistant.

— Jack Hamlin, Global Consumer Insights Director at Worldpanel

However, a lot of people are still unaware of AI features, and even among those who are, some aren’t influenced by them. This suggests that while AI is important, no one has yet come up with a truly game-changing AI feature that sets a brand apart.

My personal takeaway from this report, besides how competitive the smartphone market is, is that although AI is becoming a key battleground, it is definitely not the only thing that matters when it comes to choosing a smartphone. Price, brand loyalty, and regional preferences still play a big role in this decision. For consumers, this means more choices and potentially more innovative features. It also means that keeping up with the latest tech can be a challenge, as the market is constantly changing, making it more important than ever for OEMs to release that one unique and irresistible feature that will give them an edge.