iPhones usually kick every Android flagship off the top 10 list in Q3, but not this year

Key Takeaways

• Apple's iPhone models dominated the global smartphone market in the third quarter of 2024, securing the top few spots in sales rankings as usual.
• Samsung's Galaxy S24 being ranked as the tenth best-selling phone on this list is a bit unusual, however, as Android flagships rarely chart in the top ten during the iPhone's release quarter.
• This marks the first time since 2018 that a Samsung flagship has broken into the top ten during the third quarter.

The third quarter of each year is when the latest iPhone releases, so it's no surprise that they top the sales charts during that time. It's no different in 2024, either. The iPhone 15 is the world's best-selling smartphone according to stats from Counterpoint Research, driven no doubt by the hype around its younger sibling, the iPhone 16 — but there's been a bit of an upset this year. For the first time since 2018, a flagship Samsung phone has claimed one of the top-ten bestseller spots in the third quarter.

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According to Counterpoint Research's Global Handset Sales Tracker, the top three best-selling phones in the world are iPhones; the 15, 15 Pro Max, and 15 Pro, respectively (via Android Authority). That's not unusual given the popularity of Apple products and the press (and discounts) they get when a new iPhone model debuts.

The next few ranks are usually claimed by mid-range Android models, like the Galaxy A15 and Galaxy A35. However, for the first time in six years, a Samsung flagship has broken into the top-ten rankings. The Samsung Galaxy S24 claimed the number ten spot on the list in Q3 2024 (with four other Samsung devices claiming spots four through seven), marking a potential shift in the market. For reference, the top ten models in Q3 2024 make up about 19% of the global market.

There might be more to this than a lucky streak for Samsung

One detail that makes this even more noteworthy is that this is the third straight quarter that the Galaxy S24 has kept a spot in the top ten. This could be attributed both to Samsung's growing popularity and the company's focused marketing around its AI functionality. Galaxy AI holds a tremendous amount of potential (on par with that of Apple Intelligence), and it's drawing a lot of attention as a result.

Samsung's less-powerful phones are also gaining ground because of their affordability, with the Galaxy A series selling millions of units worldwide. In 2023, Apple moved roughly 235 million phones, and Samsung wasn't far behind it. The two giants in the phone industry claim the majority of the market for themselves, but other devices like the Pixel are seeing year-over-year increases in sales numbers. It is worth noting, though, that the Pixel performed better in Q3 2024 than at any other time before.

Apple might be the market leader, thanks in large part to its marketing schemes, but Samsung is gaining ground. It isn't a leap to say that Q3 2025 could look like a very different landscape than 2024. Samsung's promises of years of software support and its more reasonable pricing structure (for mid-range devices, anyway) gives it an edge in the fight against Apple while also providing Android fans with an inclusive ecosystem through the Galaxy Watch, Galaxy Ring, and Galaxy phones.

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