iPhone again most popular smartphone during 2021 holidays
The iPhone was held back by chip shortages at the end of last year, but was still the world’s most popular smartphone in the fourth quarter of 2021. This is evident from figures from Canalys.
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iPhone slightly more popular than Samsung
Because of the holidays, the last quarter is the most important period of a year. And it was precisely at this stage that iPhone 13 production was not running at full capacity due to global chip shortages. Previously, Apple was hardly bothered by this.
Still, Apple’s phones delivered excellent numbers. The iPhone accounted for 22 percent of smartphone shipments in the fourth quarter of 2021. Runner-up is Samsung, with 20 percent. Xiami occupies third place, with 12 percent of the market.
Apple’s excellent numbers are due to strong demand for the iPhone 13. Still, Apple’s market share could have been much larger as suppliers faced supply chain problems. They also suffered from the increased corona infections.
Most popular smartphone of 2021
Last year the iPhone was also the most popular smartphone and at the time the difference with Samsung was greater:
| Manufacturer | Market share Q4 2020 | Market share Q4 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| apple | 23% | 22% |
| Samsung | 17% | 20% |
| Xiaomi | 12% | 12% |
| OPPO | 10% | 9% |
| vivo | 9% | 9% |
Compared to 2020, Apple’s market share therefore decreased by a percentage point, while Samsung did a lot better. For 2022, we expect Apple to distance itself further. The company is launching no fewer than five new iPhone models. The first will come in March or April: the new iPhone SE 2022. This is Apple’s very popular entry-level iPhone.
In September it will be the turn of the more advanced iPhones. Apple is rumored to be launching an iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max (the base models) and two Pro iPhones: the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Do you want to stay informed of the latest news? Sign up for our newsletter:
