Apple iPhone 15 tops 2024 smartphone sales amid GenAI popularity

Apple maintains dominance as financing options and trade-in offers make its devices accessible to more consumers

Apple iPhone 15 devices figure prominently in the list. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Apple's iPhone 15 was the world's top-selling smartphone in 2024, outclassing competition that is largely focused on capitalising on the steady rise of generative artificial intelligence in mobile devices, a new report has shown.

While the iPhone 15 does not support Apple Intelligence – which was rolled out in September – half of the top 10 most popular smartphones are generative AI-capable, signalling a shift towards the game-changing technology, Counterpoint Research said in its annual report on Monday. The Cupertino, California company has maintained its dominance since Counterpoint started tracking global sales data in 2018.

It claimed six out of the top 10 spots in terms of sales last year, led by its entry-level flagship device and four that support generative AI. Those four include the top-end iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro, which ranked second and third, respectively. The iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 16 Pro, which are part of Apple's current line-up, came in at fifth and ninth, respectively.

The iPhone 14, which topped Counterpoint's list last year, remained popular, ranking eighth. The iPhone 15 was helped by healthy sales in the US and China, which accounted for nearly half of the total, while the increased consumer preference for the iPhone 15 Pro models helped it account for more than half of all annual iPhone sales for the first time, Hong Kong's Counterpoint said.

"Attractive financing plans and trade-in offers on iPhones contributed to the premiumisation trend and made the iPhone more accessible to a wider audience, particularly in emerging markets. This trend led to more consumers opting for the latest iPhone," senior analyst Karn Chauhan said.

Meanwhile, South Korea's Samsung was anchored by its mid-level offerings, led by the Galaxy A15 5G at fourth, Galaxy A15 4G at sixth and Galaxy A05 at 10th. Samsung's only premium entry on the list is the seventh-ranked Galaxy S24 Ultra – it is notable that it is the first Galaxy S series device to make it on to Counterpoint's annual top 10 since 2018.

This can be attributed to the Galaxy S24 series being the first smartphones to have mainstream generative artificial intelligence capabilities, which Samsung is betting on to drive future growth, said Counterpoint research analyst Harshit Rastogi. "Samsung's emphasis on these innovative features has resulted in strong market performance and a first-mover advantage," he said.

The company updated its flagship line-up with the launch of the Galaxy S25 series last month, foregoing aesthetic changes to concentrate on boosting its Galaxy AI platform. "Notable features like chat/note assist, Circle to Search and live translation have gained traction and received positive reviews," Mr Rastogi added.

Unboxing Samsung’s new Galaxy S25 Ultra smartphone

02:08

Smartphones remain the most popular and important consumer electronic devices. They have become an essential tool for communications, business, education and other daily activities.

With the rise of generative AI, manufacturers are scrambling to incorporate the latest technologies to entice a wider consumer base. Apple and Samsung are already locking horns in this respect, raising the stakes with their partnerships with ChatGPT maker OpenAI and Google, respectively.

"The adoption of smartphones with generative AI capabilities is forecast to rise, as OEMs [original equipment manufacturers] are highlighting generative AI as a key differentiator in their high-end offerings ... we expect an increase in the number of generative AI-enabled smartphones in 2025," Counterpoint said.