15+ Mind-Blowing Smartphone Sales Statistics 2022
Smartphone Sales Statistics: If your phone is not in your pocket, your smartphone is likely nearby.
While it was true that half of the world’s population had smartphones in 2016, that percentage currently appears to be significantly higher—nearly 85% of the population.
What does this all mean?
The smartphone market is worth billions of dollars, so brands are trying to get you to buy one of their smartphones. We have all the details of this fight in this collection of Smartphone Sales Statistics
In this article, we will discuss smartphone sales statistics.
Amazing Facts About Smartphone Industry (Editor’s Choice)
- Young adults (18 to 49) are very fond of smartphones.
- Companies shipped 1.43 billion smartphones around the world in 2021.
- In 2021, sales of smartphones reached $409 billion worldwide.
- The best-selling smartphone worldwide is the iPhone 12.
- In recent years, the industry has sold roughly 1.5 billion smartphones yearly.
- China continues to be the world’s largest country that ships the most smartphones, with a 22.5% global market share.
- Samsung’s market share increased by 21% from Q4 of 2021 to Q1 of 2022.
- In 2021, Apple made $191.9 billion from the sale of smartphones.
- In the global smartphone market, Apple holds 15% to 17% of the market.
- The results for the worldwide smartphone industry in 2021 were a loss of 7% (YOY) year-over-year and a decline of 12% quarter-over-quarter.
- In 2020, realme was the fastest-growing brand with a 65% YoY growth.
- xWith 272 million units sold in 2021 alone, Samsung has a 19% market share.
Global Smartphone Sales: By Region, By Year, and By Age Group
The industry is enormous, as we all know. How big is the industry? Millions of people are customers, and even more, smartphones have been sold. Can you imagine how much revenue this generates?#1. Young adults (18 to 49) are very fond of smartphones.
This would be wise if we had to focus on a more specific segment of the smartphone market. After all, in the United States, at least 95% of individuals in that age group are smartphone owners. Now, unexpectedly, only 61% of older folks own a smartphone, even though 78% of baby boomers use Facebook. There is no discernible difference between the gender demographics; 85% of women and men have one of these devices. (Source: Blogging Wizard)#2. Companies shipped 1.43 billion smartphones around the world in 2021.
2015 saw the start of the “billion and a half” trend as 1.43 billion smartphones were sold globally. This number hit 1.55 billion in 2018, the year with the most significant number of smartphone sales. The COVID-19 pandemic is likely the reason behind the 120 million drop in shipments from 2018 to 2021. Since 2020, the fewest units have been delivered (1.35 billion), the lowest number since 2015. Fun fact:- Robocalls accounted for 1.6 billion per week in 2021. The average scam call earned $502. It seems to sense that robocall blockers are gaining popularity.Number of Smartphone Sold Globally
(Source: Statista)
#3. In 2021, sales of smartphones reached $409 billion worldwide.
This is hardly surprising, as Chinese consumers spent $152.3 billion on smartphones alone. What about those in Western Europe? Nearly $56 billion. This is half of the global sales! What about North America? $84 billion-which is not surprising considering that 85% of Americans use smartphones. Fun fact:- With a 22.5% share of the global market in Q1 of 2022, China is the leader in smartphone sales. (Source: Statista)#4. North America has the most significant smartphone adoption rate (82%).
It should not be surprising that North America has the fastest adoption of technology. After all, the United States, the second-most technologically advanced nation, is a part of the aforementioned continent. According to projections, the adoption rate in the region will reach 85% by 2025. On the other end of the scale, Sub-Saharan Africa has the lowest adoption rate of any region. Only 64% of people in that region had smartphones as of 2021, and predictions indicate that 75% of them will have one by 2025. (Source: Statista)#5. Market share for smartphones worldwide from 2009 to 2022, by the vendor.
Regarding shipments, Samsung had the highest share of the worldwide smartphone market in the third quarter of 2021, making up ground lost by Apple after the release of the iPhone 12 at the end of 2020. Despite dropping out of the top five suppliers in the previous quarter, Huawei did not rejoin them this time around, with Xiaomi securing the third spot with a firm grasp.Global Market Share
Leading smartphone suppliers own the majority of the global market share
(Source: Statista)
#6. 7% The global market was down year over year at the start of 2022.
The 2022 phone sales were slow at first. The Q1 of 2022 total shipments were 328 million, which is considerably less than the 354.9 Million in Q1 of 2021 and the 371.4 Million in Q4 of 2021. In other words, the overall YOY was negative 7%, while the quarter-over-quarter decrease was 12%. Some of the reasons are a resurgence of COVID, lack of material supplies, and the ongoing conflict in Europe. (Source: Counterpoint)#7. The best-selling smartphone worldwide is the iPhone 12.
The iPhone 12 is the most popular phone worldwide as of 2021, accounting for 2.9% of all smartphones. Apple occupied 7 of the top 10 spots on the list. More than that, iPhones are the top 5 most-popular smartphones. Only two other brands were included in the top 10: The Xiaomi Redmi 9A and Redmi 9 models came in at positions 7 and 10, respectively, while the Samsung Galaxy A12 grabbed 6th position. Fun fact: The iPhone 12 Pro Max, which accounts for 13% of all shipments in the United States, is the most popular smartphone. (Source: Counterpoint)#8. India's Quarterly Market Share for Smartphones.
India's Quarterly Market Share for mobile phones is mentioned below.
(Source: Mobile Devices Monitor Service)
Samsung Smartphone Sales Statistics
The Samsung Galaxy, the South Korean company's first smartphone, swiftly paved the way for many opportunities for the business and the sector after making its debut in June 2009. Samsung is now frequently found in the top spot on the charts. You may check out the company's performance in 2022.#9. Samsung's smartphone sales brought around $72 billion.
Samsung's revenue increased by 11% year-over-year, going from $64 billion in 2020 to $72 billion in 2021. This might be partly because the company shipped three times as many foldable gadgets in 2021 as it did the previous year. Not to mention that the ASP (average selling price), which increased by 5% to $263, also helped to increase Samsung's revenue. Fun fact:- Samsung began testing foldable technology in 2013; its bet appears to have paid off. The company released two new foldable smartphones, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Z Fold3 5G, in 2021. (Source: Counterpoint)#10. Samsung sold around 272 million mobile phones in 2021.
Despite losing to Apple in the fourth quarter of 2021 (19% vs. 22% of the market share, respectively), Samsung still leads the year in terms of overall shipments. The first quarter of 2022 saw Samsung sell more than 74 million smartphones, making it the company's most profitable in recent history and the most profitable quarter overall. Only 59 million and 39 million devices were sold by other household names like Xiaomi and Apple. (Source: Counterpoint)#11. Samsung's market share increased by 21% from Q4 of 2021 to Q1 of 2022.
The firm held 19% of the market in Q4 of 2021; only a quarter later, that number had risen to 23%. This is an increase of 21% quarter-over-quarter. Despite a 3% YoY shipment fall, Samsung still ranked first among the biggest mobile phone manufacturers in 2022, thanks to its performance in the first few months of the year (so far). (Source: Counterpoint)iPhone Sales Statistics
Two years before Samsung debuted in the smartphone market, Apple introduced its first iPhone. The first of Apple's mobile phones, which combined an iPod with a groundbreaking internet communicator, established the standard for success back in 2007. Let's look at how the business is performing right now.#12. In 2021, Apple made $191.9 billion from the sale of smartphones.
According to valuation estimates, the company is valued at more than $2 trillion, making it one of the most valuable technology companies in the world. The business generated $365 billion in total revenue as of 2021. This means that iPhones accounted for 52% of the total revenue ($190 billion), a rise of nearly 35% YOY. Fun fact:- The iPhone 13 series was responsible for the 12% growth in the global smartphone ASP. This is not surprising considering that the iPhones' global ASP increased by 14%, hitting $825. (Source: Business of Apps)#13. Apple's shipments reached a peak of 237.9 million units in 2021.
Let's summarize: Apple is responsible for the most successful smartphone in the world (the iPhone 12), the best-selling smartphone here in the USA (the iPhone 12 Pro Max), as well as other global phenomena such as the Apple Watch, Apple TV, and AirPods. Apple also recently debuted the iPhone 13 series in 2021. Therefore, it is simple to understand why iPhone sales exceeded 230 million units, making 2021 the year that Apple shipped the most iPhones. The year's last quarter was crucial to reaching this milestone. It registered nearly 81.5 million shipments-almost twice as many as the third quarter's 48 million. (Source: Counterpoint)Xiaomi Smartphones Sales Statistics
The Chinese business, which has its headquarters in Beijing, released its first mobile device (the Xiaomi Mi 1) in 2011. Xiaomi was the most popular smartphone company in China by 2014. It is currently well renowned for offering inexpensive Android devices that have captured the hearts of millions of customers.#14. In terms of market share worldwide, Xiaomi ranks third.
Xiaomi's market share ranged from 8% to 14% in the past few years. It's roughly 12% as of Q1 of 2022. Xiaomi's market share has declined in recent years as it lagged behind Samsung and Apple. Xiaomi has occasionally outperformed Apple, most notably in Q3 of 2020 (13% vs. 11%) and Q2 of 2021 (16% vs. 15%). (Source: Counterpoint)#15. Xiaomi made nearly $36 billion from smartphone sales in 2021.
Xiaomi's revenue in 2020 was $24 billion, but it increased by 49% year-over-year. The business shipped 190.4 million units in 2021, 65.7 million more than it did in 2019 and 44.6 million more in 2020. India might be one of the primary causes of the increase in revenue. The nation saw a 39% surge in sales of smartphones costing $250 or more. (Source: Counterpoint)Nokia Smartphone Sales Statistics
The Finnish company has been in the background for the past ten years due to rising competition and a saturated industry. Does Nokia have a chance to make a comeback, though? Maybe. Increased European market expansion could benefit Nokia and help it regain its top spots. Let's look at some vital statistics about Nokia.#16. In Europe, Nokia is the 5th most-loved smartphone brand.
In Europe, Nokia's market share was 3% in the middle of 2021, placing the company in 5th place among the continent's leading smartphone manufacturers. It performed much better in the Nordic nations, the 4th most well-loved brand. So, will Nokia keep gaining popularity? Most likely, yes in Europe. Unfortunately, we don't have enough statistics on Nokia smartphone sales to make predictions for other regions. (Source: Nokia Power User)#17. Nokia shipped nearly 10.9 million smartphones in 2021.
Nokia shipped 8 million units back in 2020, which is roughly 3 million fewer than it shipped in 2021. Nokia's sales in the final quarter of 2021 peaked and reached around 3.2 million units, a 17% increase from the Q3 of 2021 and a 35% increase from the Q4 of 2020. The actual number of phones shipped by Nokia in 2021 was 53.2 million. Yes, Nokia is still selling feature mobile phones- particularly 42.3 million of them. Fun fact:- Only 11% of US adults have a smartphone, despite owning a cellphone. Most likely due to the fact that smartphones have shown to be quite addictive. (Source: Nokiamob)Huawei Smartphone Sales Statistics
This Chinese telecommunications firm formerly ranked among the top brands and biggest sellers. It maintained the second position in terms of market share throughout 2018 and was Samsung's closest competitor then. However, despite its recent steady expansion, Huawei appears to be losing value as revenue steadily declines. Let's look at how the most recent events have affected the business environment. According to Ken Hu (Huawei's current chairman), it will be "challenging" and "complicated."#18. The US ban decreased Huawei's sales by 81.6%.
If you missed any Huawei-US drama, don't worry—we have you covered. Due to spying allegations, the Trump administration essentially forbade Huawei from accessing the United States supply chain. As a result, Huawei could not access any Google applications or receive US-exported semiconductors, including its Kirin 9000 5G. Clearly, the outcomes were devastating. Sales for the business climbed to 188.5 million units in 2020. However, in 2021, there were just 35 million annual shipments, representing a drop of 81.6%. As a result, for the first time in 7 years, the company dropped out of China's top 5 sellers. (Source: Phone Arena)#19. Huawei lags behind the top three rivals, with a market share of 6.18%.
Huawei's market share was only 9.19% in April 2021. It dropped to 6.18% in April 2022, registering a 33% decrease. Now, rather than competing with leading companies such as Xiaomi, which had a market share of 10.43% in April 2021. Currently, it is battling to maintain its lead over brands like Vivo and OPPO, whose market shares are falling at a rate of about 5% each. (Source: Statcounter)Other Key Smartphone Sales Statistics
The leading brands in the world market have previously been discussed, but there are still a few more that are putting in great effort to overtake them. Here are some statistics about Smartphone Sales.#20. In 2021, realme shipped approximately 65 million units.
Let's look at some realme smartphone sales statistics. But first, some context: Sky Li, a former vice president of OPPO, established realme on May 4, 2018. Realme received many favorable reviews thanks to its exciting features and 5G technology. In fact, realme is one of the most popular 5G smartphone brands, with a 165% increase in this segment between Q4 of 2021 and becoming the largest 5G brand in Italy, France, the UK, Switzerland, and Spain. However, realme's revenues are generally increasing by more than doubling annually. There were 25.7 million total exports in 2019, 42.4 million (a 65% YoY growth) in 2020, and 64.6 million in 2021. Perhaps one day, it will reach the top of the charts. (Source: Statista)#21. Vivo recorded a 43% increase year-over-year in its revenue.
Vivo is a Chinese electronics manufacturer that entered the smartphone market for the first time in 2012. It had a revenue of approximately $25.2 billion in 2020. This company rose to the fifth-largest global smartphone brand when its revenue reached $34 billion one year later. Unfortunately, Vivo's market share is still between 8% to 10%. However, recently, it has tended to edge near 8%. On the other hand, the company's market share shows consistency, which denotes stable performance. (Source: Counterpoint)#22. In 2021, OPPO's smartphone sales reached $37 billion.
Another Chinese electronics manufacturer, OPPO, released its debut smartphone in 2011. The brand is well-liked in India and China, despite not being too well-known in the West. Despite this, OPPO's market share has not changed much over the years, sticking within the 9% to 11% range. It is trending toward the lower end of the range as of Q1 2022. In terms of the actual device sold, this translates to 30.9 million OPPO smartphones shipped during that quarter. Fun fact:- OPPO sold 143.6 million devices in 2021. Smartphones with 5G- enabled accounted for 50% of that total. (Source: Counterpoint)Conclusion
It is evident that the smartphone market is continuing to grow and that many different players are vying for a piece of the pie. With so many other options available, knowing which one is the right fit for you can be challenging. But by understanding the Smartphone Sales Statistics, you can get a better idea of which ones are most popular and what features they offer. Just as a brand could rank number one today but drop off the list tomorrow (Huawei is the main example), and vice versa-a company can come out of nowhere and become the fastest-growing brand, such as realme. Even though the smartphone market appears to be declining at the start of 2022, it does not mean that the most prominent smartphone vendors will continue to innovate and grow.Sources
Barry Elad
Barry is a lover of everything technology. Figuring out how the software works and creating content to shed more light on the value it offers users is his favorite pastime. When not evaluating apps or programs, he's busy trying out new healthy recipes, doing yoga, meditating, or taking nature walks with his little one.
