Counterpoint Research reports the iPhone XR was the best selling smartphone in Q3 2019, making it the best-selling smartphone model in every quarter this year so far.
The handset was launched midway through Q4 2018, so it didn’t top the list that quarter but has comfortably done so all of the following quarters. (However, it did score a fifth-place finish in its launch quarter, so that’s not too shabby.)
According to Counterpoint Research’s Market Pulse, the iPhone XR was the top-selling model globally in Q3 2019, capturing 3% market share. In fact, except for the launch quarter in September 2018, iPhone XR has been the top-selling model globally in every quarter since Q4 2018. The XR alone contributed to over one-quarter of the total Apple sales during the quarter, making it the best-selling model for Apple across all regions. Apple also adjusted the price of the iPhone XR in China and several other markets, which helped keep demand strong during the quarter. The iPhone 11 also made its debut in the top 10 within the launch quarter.
The top 10 best-selling smartphones in Q3 2019 included two iPhones, three low-end Samsung models, and a mix of Chinese handsets:
- iPhone XR
- Samsung Galaxy A10
- Samsung Galaxy A50
- Oppo A9
- iPhone 11
- Oppo A5s
- Samsung Galaxy A20
- Oppo A5
- Xiaomi Redmi A7
- Huawei P30
Samsung had discontinued its low-priced J series of devices and dropped the price of its A series to make them their low-end phones.
Samsung had three models in the top 10, all from the A series. Samsung discontinued its J series and brought the A series to lower price tiers. A series had a more premium perception than the J series. The new devices came with competing specs and design features, affordable price and Samsung’s strong brand perception (especially in the mid-segment) which provided an excellent value proposition to consumers. This was also strategically aligned with global trade-up trend. The A-series also gained some share from HONOR. However, there were no flagships from Samsung in the top 10 list.
