Top 10 best selling smartphones globally for 2021

A few days ago, Counterpoint announced the top 10 best-selling smartphones in 2021. Of the top 10 list, 7 are Apple iPhones, and the iPhone swept the top 5 positions. Counterpoint said that in 2021, there will be more than 4,200 smartphone models active in the global market. The top 10 best-selling smartphones accounted for 19% of total global smartphone sales in 2021, compared to 16% in 2020. The iPhone 12 was the best-selling model, followed by the iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 13, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 11. The first three models contribute 41% to Apple's total sales. The latest iPhone 13 series performed well, with the iPhone 13 being the best-selling model in Q4 2021, followed by the iPhone 13 Pro Max and iPhone 13 Pro.

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Samsung & Xiaomi - the only non-iPhones on the list

While Apple dominates the list, Samsung also makes an entry with the Galaxy A12 in sixth place in 2021. Almost all regions and countries showed strong demand for A12 throughout the year. North America, Latin America, and Western Europe are its main markets.

Xiaomi claims the remaining two non-Apple slots with the Redmi 9A and Redmi 9 making the list. These smartphones account for 22% of the brand's total sales. Xiaomi is doing well in all regions. China, India, and the Asia Pacific are its main markets. Xiaomi has launched budget models like the Redmi 9A and 9 in these price-sensitive regions, where its entry-level lineup is facing component shortages.

Let us now take a look at some of the specs details of the top 10 best-selling smartphones for the year 2021.

Top 10 best selling smartphones - details

According to the published data, the 10 best-selling mobile phones in the world in 2021 are:

1. Apple iPhone 12 - 2.9%

The iPhone 12 comes with a 6.1 inch Super Retina XDR OLED that supports 1170 x 2532 pixel resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, this smartphone uses the Apple A14 Bionic 5nm chip. This device uses 4GB of RAM and 64GB/128GB/256GB of internal storage. On the rear, it has a dual-camera setup, all 12MP sensors. The battery size is only 2815 mAh and it supports 20W fast charging and 15W wireless charging.

2. Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max - 2.2%

The iPhone 12 Pro Max comes with a 6.7 inch Super Retina XDR OLED that supports 1284 x 2778 pixel resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, this smartphone uses the Apple A14 Bionic 5nm chip. This device uses 6GB of RAM and 128GB/256GB/512GB of internal storage. On the rear, it has a triple camera setup, all 12MP sensors. It includes a wide-angle, telephoto, an ultrawide angle, and a TOF 3D LiDAR sensor. The battery size is only 3687 mAh and it supports 20W fast charging and 15W wireless charging.

3. Apple iPhone 13 - 2.1%

This smartphone comes with a 6.1 inch Super Retina XDR OLED that supports 1170 x 2532 pixels resolution. It also comes with the Apple A15 Bionic SoC and supports 4GB of RAM and 128GB/256GB/512GB of internal storage. This smartphone uses a dual-rear camera setup. It has a 12MP main camera with 12MP (ultrawide) shooter. To keep its lights on, this device uses a 3240 mAh battery that supports 20W fast charging. This device also supports 15W MagSafe wireless charging, and 7.5W Qi magnetic fast wireless charging. On the software end, this device comes with iOS 15 out-of-the-box.

4. Apple iPhone 12 Pro - 2.1%

The iPhone 12 Pro comes with a 6.1 inch Super Retina XDR OLED that supports 1170 x 2532 pixel resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, this smartphone uses the Apple A14 Bionic 5nm chip. This device uses 6GB of RAM and 128GB/256GB/512GB of internal storage. On the rear, it has a triple camera setup, all 12MP sensors. It includes a wide-angle, telephoto, an ultrawide angle, and a TOF 3D LiDAR sensor. The battery size is only 2815 mAh and it supports 20W fast charging and 15W wireless charging.

5. Apple iPhone 11 - 2.0%

Interestingly, the iPhone 11, Apple's 2019 smartphone still makes the list. This device is still selling well, especially in the U.S. and parts of Europe. This smartphone comes with a 6.1-inch Liquid Retina LCD display which supports a resolution of 828 x 1792 pixels. Its camera department is very similar to the iPhone 13. It uses 4GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage.

6. Samsung Galaxy A12 - 2.0%

The Samsung Galaxy A12 comes with a 6.5-inch PLS IPS display. This display isn't exactly of the same level as high-end flagships but you will get a super-bright display with 270 PPI density. This smartphone supports a resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels and a display ratio of 20:9 ratio. Under the hood, this device comes with a mid-range processor, MediaTek Helio P35 SoC. This chip is not flagship but it offers enough power and a lag-free experience. The Galaxy A12 also comes with up to 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. However, the internal storage is expandable with a microSD card. On the rear, it has a quad-camera setup which includes a 48MP wide-angle, 5MP ultrawide, 2MP macro camera as well as a 2MP depth sensor. The battery size is 5000 mAh and it supports 15W wired fast charging.

7. Xiaomi Redmi 9A - 1.9%

The Redmi 9A is a 2020 smartphone but after two years, it is still selling massively. This device is particularly a "celebrity" in India and other regions. It is pretty decent and comes with a good price tag. This smartphone comes with a 6.53-inch LCD display and uses an Helio G25 SoC. It is an entry-level smartphone.

8. Apple iPhone SE 2020 - 1.6%

Just yesterday, Apple released the iPhone SE 2022 (iPhone SE 3), the successor of the iPhone SE 2020. Within its first year of sales, the iPhone SE 2020 sold about 24 million units. This device is cheap and comes with decent features. However, the only aspect you will have to worry about is its battery. This smartphone comes with a 1821 mAh battery that supports 18W charging.

9. Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max - 1.3%

The iPhone 13 Pro Max comes with a 6.7 inch Super Retina XDR OLED that supports 1284 x 2778 pixel resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. This is the first iPhone that comes with a screen refresh rate above 60Hz. Under the hood, this smartphone uses the Apple A15 Bionic 5nm chip. This device uses 6GB of RAM and 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB of internal storage. On the rear, it has a triple camera setup, all 12MP sensors. It includes a wide-angle, telephoto, an ultrawide angle, and a TOF 3D LiDAR sensor. The battery size is only 4352 mAh and it supports 25W fast charging, 15W MagSafe wireless charging, and 7.5W Qi magnetic fast wireless charging. On the software end, this device comes with iOS 15 out-of-the-box.

10. Xiaomi Redmi 9 - 1.1%

This smartphone comes with a 6.53 inch IPS LCD display that supports 1080 x 2340 pixels resolution. The display also has Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection which protects it from falls and scratches. This smartphone also comes with the Helio G80 mid-range chip and supports up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. On the rear, it has a 13MP main camera as well as a 2MP depth sensor. However, this device also has 8MP ultrawide and 5MP macro sensors to complete its quad-rear camera setup. To keep its lights on, this device uses a 5020 mAh battery that supports 18W charging.