Apple Claims Top Spot in 2023 Global Smartphone Sales: Canalys

The iPhone 14 Pro Max was the single best-selling smartphone model of 2023.

Apple has claimed the title of world's top smartphone seller in 2023, according to new data from market research firm Canalys. The company's success was fueled by strong sales of the iPhone 14 series, particularly the iPhone 14 Pro Max which was the single best-selling smartphone model of 2023.

With 34 million units shipped, the iPhone 14 Pro Max propelled Apple to become the top seller in the global market. The standard iPhone 14 took third place with 29 million units, while the iPhone 14 Pro secured fourth with 29 million units sold.

Remarkably, even older generation iPhones maintained impressive sales in 2023, with the iPhone 13 shipping 23 million units to take fifth place. Apple's newest iPhone 15 lineup also performed well despite launching only in September, with the iPhone 15 Pro Max shipping 33 million units for second place, followed by the iPhone 15 Pro with 21 million (7th place) and iPhone 15 with 17 million (10th place).

Samsung managed to secure three spots in the top ten thanks to its mid-range Galaxy A series, with the Galaxy A14 4G (6th place, 21 million units), Galaxy A54 (8th place, 20 million) and Galaxy A14 5G (9th place, 19 million) all proving popular options. The South Korean company still faces an uphill battle against Apple in the premium phone segment.

Other brands largely failed to make the list, highlighting Apple and Samsung's dominance in the global smartphone market. It's not surprising the iPhone reigns supreme as the world's most popular smartphone, but with the recently launched S24 series backed with Galaxy AI, Samsung has intensified competition in the premium segment.