Apple launched its iPhone 14 series in September to attract high-spending and budget-conscious consumers. Reuters
Apple launched its iPhone 14 series in September to attract high-spending and budget-conscious consumers. Reuters
Apple launched its iPhone 14 series in September to attract high-spending and budget-conscious consumers. Reuters
Apple launched its iPhone 14 series in September to attract high-spending and budget-conscious consumers. Reuters

The 10 best-selling smartphones of 2022, revealed


Alkesh Sharma
  • English
  • Arabic

The iPhone manufacturer Apple has captured eight spots on the list of the 10 best-selling smartphones of last year, according to a report by Counterpoint Research.

Cupertino, California-based Apple dominated the list, taking the top three spots. The iPhone 13 was the best-selling model, followed by the iPhone 13 Pro Max and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

The iPhone 13, which was launched in September 2021, contributed about 28 per cent of total iPhone sales last year, Counterpoint said. However, the research company did not release the number of units sold.

iPhone 13 smartphones in new alpine green on display at an Apple store in Covent Garden in London. Bloomberg
iPhone 13 smartphones in new alpine green on display at an Apple store in Covent Garden in London. Bloomberg

It was the best-selling smartphone in major markets such as China, the US, the UK, Germany and France, and about twice as many were sold as the iPhone 13 Pro Max, the second best-selling smartphone of last year.

“Price cuts after the iPhone 14 series’ launch [in September last year] further drove the iPhone 13 volumes in developing markets,” said Harshit Rastogi, research analyst at Counterpoint.

“The iPhone 14 Pro Max was the top-selling smartphone model for September, October and November of 2022.

“The iPhone 14 Pro Max sales were led by early adopters and those upgrading to a higher iPhone variant.

“Major advancements in the iPhone 14 Pro series, such as dynamic island and faster processor, make it more attractive, as the base model [iPhone 14] is almost identical to the previous year’s model.”

On Tuesday, Apple announced a new yellow iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, adding more colour choices to its latest line-up.

The top 10 smartphones contributed 19 per cent of total global smartphone sales last year, the same as in 2021.

The remaining two spots were taken by Samsung Galaxy A13 (fourth) and Galaxy A03 (10th).

“With its entry-level models Galaxy A13 and Galaxy A03, Samsung took two spots on the list, one more than the previous year [2021],” Mr Rastogi said.

“Offering attractive specifications for its price [less than $250], the Galaxy A13 continued to perform well. [The] Caribbean and Latin America, followed by India, contributed the most to its sales.”

The Galaxy A03 was the least expensive smartphone on the list and it performed well in developing regions such as the Caribbean and Latin America as well as the Middle East and Africa.

Samsung unveiled three new Galaxy phones, the S23 Ultra, S23+ and S23, last month. Bloomberg
Samsung unveiled three new Galaxy phones, the S23 Ultra, S23+ and S23, last month. Bloomberg

Apple is in a battle for dominance in the global smartphone market with South Korean company Samsung and Chinese brand Xiaomi.

Samsung led the industry with a market share of about 21.6 per cent last year and produced 260.9 million handsets during the period, according to Massachusetts-based research company International Data Corporation.

It was followed by Apple, which produced 226.4 million handsets and had a market share of 18.8 per cent, and Xiaomi, with 153.1 million handsets and a market share of 12.7 per cent.

However, in the fourth quarter of last year, Samsung was relegated to the number-two spot by the iPhone maker. Apple sold 72.3 million iPhones and accounted for a 24.1 per cent market share in the last quarter, while Samsung sold 58.2 million phones and had a 19.4 per cent market share.

“We believe the share of the top 10 smartphones will increase in 2023 as brands focus on clearing inventory and optimising their launches … we also expect brands to continue making their portfolios leaner in 2023 to minimise cannibalisation,” Mr Rastogi said.

The number of active smartphone models on the global market dropped to 3,600 last year from more than 4,200 in 2021.

10 best-selling smartphones of 2022

  • iPhone 13
  • iPhone 13 Pro Max
  • iPhone 14 Pro Max
  • Galaxy A13
  • iPhone 13 Pro
  • iPhone 12
  • iPhone 14
  • iPhone 14 Pro
  • iPhone SE 2022
  • Galaxy A03
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What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE

Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

FIRST TEST SCORES

England 458
South Africa 361 & 119 (36.4 overs)

England won by 211 runs and lead series 1-0

Player of the match: Moeen Ali (England)

 

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

MATCH INFO

Everton 2 Southampton 1
Everton: Walcott (15'), Richarlison (31' )
Southampton: Ings (54')

Man of the match: Theo Walcott (Everton)

FIXTURES

Monday, January 28
Iran v Japan, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)

Tuesday, January 29
UAEv Qatar, Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)

Friday, February 1
Final, Zayed Sports City Stadium (6pm)

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BIG SPENDERS

Premier League clubs spent £230 million (Dh1.15 billion) on January transfers, the second-highest total for the mid-season window, the Sports Business Group at Deloitte said in a report.

Updated: March 08, 2023, 8:15 AM