What you need to know
- The Galaxy S24 Ultra broke into the top ten best-sellers list in 2024, marking a first for a Samsung flagship phone since 2019.
- Samsung’s focus on AI features and innovation helped the S24 Ultra stand out in the premium Android market, landing it in the ninth spot globally.
- The Galaxy A15 took the crown as the best-selling Android phone across all price ranges, and the A15 5G became the top-selling 5G device worldwide.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra dominated the 2024 flagship Android market, topping sales charts and even being the only premium Android phone to crack the world’s top ten best-sellers.
Samsung popping up in the yearly top ten best-selling phones list is pretty much a given. But its top-tier Galaxy S series hasn’t made the cut since 2018. That is, until now. According to Canalys’ latest report, the flagship line is making a comeback, sneaking its way back into that elite ranking (via 9to5Google).
Apple’s iPhone 15 rules the 2024 sales charts. But Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra just ended a six-year slump, as per the report.
Snagging the ninth spot on the global best-sellers list, the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s win cements Samsung’s dominance in the premium Android phone segment.
According to the report, the S24 Ultra’s strong sales come down to Samsung doubling down on AI features and keeping the innovation game tight.
Apple and Samsung went head-to-head for smartphone supremacy in 2024, but Apple barely pulled ahead with 225.9 million shipments against Samsung’s 222.9 million. These numbers might change, but for now, it looks like Apple finally stole the crown as the world’s top smartphone brand.
While the Galaxy S24 Ultra grabbed the spotlight in the premium space, the Galaxy A15 stole the show as the best-selling Android phone across all price ranges. On top of that, the Galaxy A15 5G dominated the 5G market, becoming the top-selling 5G phone worldwide.
Even with solid specs, no premium models from Chinese brands like Honor, OnePlus, OPPO, Vivo, or Xiaomi managed to crack the best-sellers list.
Despite their absence from the list, Chinese OEMs still saw solid growth in 2024. Xiaomi stood out with an impressive 15% year-over-year jump, shipping over 168 million smartphones worldwide.
Overall, the global smartphone market saw a solid rebound in 2024, with shipments hitting 1.22 billion units, up 7%, according to Canalys. This recovery comes after two years of decline, driven by longer replacement cycles, smart restocking by vendors, and the ongoing growth of emerging markets.