The Apple iPhone 11 overtook the iPhone XR as the most popular smartphone in the world, according to new data released by Omdia, an independent telecommunications technology research firm.
The first quarter of 2020, (January to March), saw 19.5-million iPhone 11s shipped, comfortably outpacing the Samsung Galaxy A51, which came in second with 6.8-million units.
Omdia’s report, posted on 9to5mac, shows that the iPhone XR, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max all make an appearance in the 2020 top ten list, taking the total iPhone models in the list to four, beating out 2019’s count of three.
This data would suggest that despite the negative effects of Covid-19 on global markets, the iPhone 11 range is resonating with customers, helping the Californian tech-giant claim an undeniable dominance over market sales in Q1, amassing a total of 32.2-million shipped units, comfortably topping the previous year’s total.
By comparison, in the first quarter (Q1) of 2019, Apple struggled to inspire consumers with the lack of upgraded models, and the iPhone XR only shipped 13.6-million units.
This was disappointing for Apple, as despite the iPhone XR comfortably outselling its nearest competitor, the Samsung Galaxy J4 Plus (6.4-million units), Samsung claimed five spots in the top ten, accruing a combined 27.3-million shipped units to Apple’s 24.6-million.
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What about the rest of the rankings?
Though Samsung has held onto the number two spot with similar numbers, its overall performance in the top ten list is down in 2019. In January to March 2020, Samsung’s bestselling smartphones, the Galaxy A51, A10s, S20 Plus 5G, and A30s, managed to ship only 17.6-million units.
Last year, the Galaxy J4 Plus, J6 Plus, S10, and S10 Plus shipped a combined 27.3-million units in Q1. This may come as a surprise to many, as Samsung’s S20 is largely lauded as one of the best smartphones of all time, however, it’s also one of the most expensive.
Part of the S20’s lacklustre Q1 sales may also be due to the lack of widespread 5G coverage – as highlighted by Omdia’s report, planned 5G expansion will likely slow in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, which could also prove detrimental to 5G phone sales going forward this year.
It may be the case that Samsung’s technological progression has pushed ahead of the curve in terms of relevance and pricing – a powerful phone, but just arriving at the wrong point in time.
Many will also be surprised by the appearance of the Chinese brand Xiaomi, who claimed third and fourth positions in the ranking. Xiaomi may be obscure to Western consumers, but its phones have held a large market share in China and India for several years now. The Redmi Note 8 and Redmi Note 8 Plus have shipped a total of 12.7-million units combined.
Omdia’s report can be read in full over at 9to5mac.
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