Revealed: 10 best-selling smartphones of 2021

Apple took seven spots in the list of top phones

Sales performance figures for the iPhone 13 series reveal consumers have not lost their appetite for Apple smartphones. Reuters

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

The company, based in Cupertino, California, took the top five spots.

The iPhone 12 was the best-selling model, followed by the iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 13, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 11.

The top three models contributed nearly 41 per cent to Apple’s total sales, the Hong Kong-based research company said. Counterpoint did not release the exact number of units sold.

The iPhone 12 series, which was launched in October 2020, was delayed by almost a month because of supply chain disruptions and a chip shortage brought about the coronavirus pandemic.

“The delayed launch of the iPhone 12 series shifted some holiday season demand to the initial months of 2021,” Karn Chauhan, research analyst at Counterpoint, said.

“The latest in the iPhone 13 series is performing well, with the iPhone 13 becoming the best-selling model in the fourth quarter of last year, followed by the iPhone 13 Pro Max and iPhone 13 Pro.”

Apple is likely to release the next-generation version of one of its cheapest smartphones, the iPhone SE, as well as redesigned tablets and laptops at its virtual "peak performance" event today.

The top 10 best-selling smartphone models contributed 19 per cent to the total global smartphone unit sales last year, compared to 16 per cent in 2020.

Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi took two spots, and South Korean brand Samsung took one in the top 10. There were more than 4,200 active smartphone models in the global market in 2021.

Samsung’s Galaxy A12, an entry-level smartphone, was sixth.

“Almost all regions and countries showed strong demand for the A12 throughout the year. North America, Latin America and Western Europe were its top markets,” Mr Chauhan said.

“We believe the momentum will be continued by the A12’s successor launched in December - the Galaxy A13 (5G).”

Xiaomi’s budget models Redmi 9A (seventh) and Redmi 9 (10th) added almost 22 per cent to the brand’s total sales last year. The company performed well across all regions. China, India and Asia-Pacific were its top markets, Counterpoint said.

10 best selling smartphones of 2021

• iPhone 12
• iPhone 12 Pro Max
• iPhone 13
• iPhone 12 Pro
• iPhone 11
• Galaxy A12
• Redmi 9A
• iPhone SE 2020
• iPhone 13 Pro Max
• Redmi 9