After the iPhone X took the title of the best-selling smartphone during the first three months of 2018, sales of the Galaxy S9 line picked up speed during April and managed to snatch back the top position, according to a report from Counterpoint Research.
Pushing Apple’s premium flagship down to third place, the Galaxy S9+ and Galaxy S9 took the number 1 and 2 spots respectively, although both appear to have been equally popular. After all, the smartphones captured a global market share of 2.6% each, with sales growth being driven largely by impressive performance in the Asia-Pacific region and North America. However, these weren’t the only Samsung devices to dominate on a global scale, with last year’s Galaxy S8 proving to still be popular among consumers by becoming the tenth best-selling phone worldwide. Nevertheless, Counterpoint claims this is primarily to due to price reductions and bundle offers.
Moving away from Samsung, Apple still managed to dominate the chart despite losing its crown. In fact, the iPhone X, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone 8 managed to take positions 3, 4, and 5 – the first two devices captured a global market share of 2.3%, while the latter’s sales equated to 2.2%. Additionally, though, demand for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 7 also remained high during the period, taking places 7 and 9. On a separate note, it’s worth noting that the final two spots on the global list went to the Xiaomi Redmi 5A and the Redmi 5 Plus (known as the Note 5 in certain markets). This marks the first time Xiaomi has taken two positions on the top 10 chart and is attributed to a strong presence in both China and India.
Looking to the future, Apple’s iPhone lineup is likely to continue dominating the chart, although sales are expected to continue decreasing as the smartphone series ages. Samsung’s flagship series, on the other hand, should continue to ride high until the launch of the Galaxy Note 9 later on in this summer. However, in regards to the long-term aspect of things, Xiaomi’s global dominance is likely to continue growing and, with Huawei aiming for the number one manufacturer spot within the next few years, it shouldn’t be too long before its smartphones begin making appearances on the chart.
