The standard iPhone 15—not the iPhone 15 family counted as one product—was the best-selling individual smartphone worldwide in calendar 2024, according to major market trackers. A Canalys-attributed ranking put seven Apple models in the global top 10, with Samsung supplying the other three. The exact order after first place varies by research firm, so this is an analyst-estimated model ranking, not an audited sales ledger.
The global top 10 smartphones of 2024
The table below reproduces the full-year, global model ranking reported in Canalys-attributed coverage published by Gadgets360 on February 4, 2025. It counts individual models, including separate 4G and 5G versions, rather than combining a phone family.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Apple iPhone 15, 128GB, Black - Unlocked (Renewed) | $405.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Apple iPhone 14, 128GB, Midnight - Unlocked (Renewed) | $300.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Apple iPhone 15, 128GB, Blue - Unlocked (Renewed) | $410.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Apple iPhone 15, 128GB, Pink - Unlocked (Renewed) | $415.79 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Apple iPhone 15 Plus, 128GB, Pink - Unlocked (Renewed) | $438.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| Rank | Model |
|---|---|
| 1 | Apple iPhone 15 |
| 2 | Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max |
| 3 | Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max |
| 4 | Samsung Galaxy A15 |
| 5 | Apple iPhone 16 Pro |
| 6 | Apple iPhone 15 Pro |
| 7 | Apple iPhone 16 |
| 8 | Samsung Galaxy A15 5G |
| 9 | Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra |
| 10 | Apple iPhone 13 |
Source: Gadgets360’s Canalys-attributed report. The list distinguishes the Galaxy A15 from the Galaxy A15 5G. It also shows how a phone released late in the year can rank highly: Apple introduced the iPhone 16 Pro Max in September 2024, yet it still reached second place in this estimate.
What “best-selling” means here
“Best-selling” is easy to misread because market researchers use several different measures:
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors#1 Best Overall
- 6.1inch Super Retina XDR display. Aluminum with color-infused glass back. Ring/Silent switch
- Dynamic Island. A magical way to interact with iPhone. A16 Bionic chip with 5-core GPU
- Advanced dual-camera system. 48MP Main | Ultra Wide. Super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP). Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control. 4X optical zoom range
- Emergency SOS via satellite. Crash Detection. Roadside Assistance via satellite
- Up to 26 hours video playback. USB C, Supports USB 2. Face ID
- Model-level sales or sell-through: an estimate of units reaching consumers for a particular model.
- OEM shipments: units manufacturers ship into distribution channels. Some may not have reached an end user during the same period.
- Calendar-year totals: January 1 through December 31, 2024. A phone available all year has more opportunity to accumulate units than one launched in September.
- Global totals: worldwide results can differ sharply from rankings in the United States, China, India, Europe or Japan.
- Units rather than revenue: a model can lead unit sales without producing the most revenue.
Accordingly, the table is best described as a global full-year model ranking based on analyst-firm estimates. Counterpoint’s full-year analysis, published February 3, 2025, also identified the iPhone 15 as the world’s top-selling smartphone: Counterpoint Research.
Was the iPhone 15 series really the top three?
Not as one combined ranking entry. The iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Plus are separate products. Counterpoint and Canalys-related coverage agree that the base iPhone 15 led, but they differ on the positions of later models. Canalys-attributed coverage placed the iPhone 16 Pro Max second, the iPhone 15 Pro Max third and the iPhone 15 Pro sixth. Counterpoint’s published discussion places multiple iPhone 15 models near the top.
The accurate conclusion is therefore: the iPhone 15 was the clear individual-model leader, while Apple dominated the wider ranking. Saying that “the iPhone 15 series” was one top-three product combines models that the trackers counted separately.
Rank #2
- This phone is unlocked and compatible with any carrier of choice on GSM and CDMA networks (e.g. AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, US Cellular, Cricket, Metro, Tracfone, Mint Mobile, etc.).
- Please check with your carrier to verify compatibility.
- The device does not come with headphones or a SIM card. It does include a generic (Mfi certified) charging cable.
- Tested for battery health and guaranteed to have a minimum battery capacity of 80%.
Why the base iPhone 15 had the advantage
A full year on sale
The iPhone 15 was available throughout 2024. The iPhone 16 family arrived late in the year, so even strong launch-season demand had fewer months to contribute to its annual total.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
A mainstream position in Apple’s lineup
The base model sat below the Pro phones in price while retaining major generational changes such as USB-C and a 48-megapixel main camera. That made it a natural choice for buyers who wanted a current iPhone without paying the Pro premium.
Distribution and financing
Apple’s global retail and carrier network, trade-in programs and installment financing make a single model easy to find across many markets. Those are plausible contributors to broad volume, rather than individually measured causes in the published rankings.
Rank #3
- 6.1inch Super Retina XDR display. Aluminum with color-infused glass back. Ring/Silent switch
- Dynamic Island. A magical way to interact with iPhone. A16 Bionic chip with 5-core GPU
- Advanced dual-camera system. 48MP Main | Ultra Wide. Super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP). Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control. 4X optical zoom range
- Emergency SOS via satellite. Crash Detection. Roadside Assistance via satellite
- Up to 26 hours video playback. USB C, Supports USB 2. Face ID
Continued sales after the next launch
Apple typically keeps recent models available after a new generation arrives. The iPhone 15 could therefore remain the mainstream current-generation option even after the iPhone 16 launch. The iPhone 13’s tenth-place showing similarly demonstrates that an older, discounted iPhone can continue selling at scale.
Why Apple occupies so many places in a model table
Apple sells a relatively concentrated, globally consistent lineup. Demand is therefore aggregated across a smaller number of model names. Samsung and Chinese Android manufacturers spread volume across large Galaxy A, S, M and F ranges, plus market-specific variants. Different names and configurations can fragment their model-level totals.
Recommended Free Tools
That concentration explains Apple’s seven of the reported top 10 spots; it does not mean iPhones outsold all Android phones combined. Android remains a much larger ecosystem when every manufacturer and model is counted together.
Rank #4
- 6.1inch Super Retina XDR display. Aluminum with color-infused glass back. Ring/Silent switch
- Dynamic Island. A magical way to interact with iPhone. A16 Bionic chip with 5-core GPU
- Advanced dual-camera system. 48MP Main | Ultra Wide. Super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP). Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control. 4X optical zoom range
- Emergency SOS via satellite. Crash Detection. Roadside Assistance via satellite
- Up to 26 hours video playback. USB C, Supports USB 2. Face ID
Samsung’s showing
Galaxy A15 and A15 5G
Samsung’s affordable A-series supplied two entries, reflecting the reach of lower-priced phones across many regions. The ranking treats the Galaxy A15 and Galaxy A15 5G as distinct models, so their positions should not be added together as though they were one reported entry.
Galaxy S24 Ultra
The S24 Ultra was the only Samsung flagship in this top 10. Its presence shows that a premium Android model can achieve substantial worldwide unit volume, but the table does not establish that it was Samsung’s highest-revenue phone or its leader in every country.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Model rankings are not the same as company shipments
Omdia estimated 1,223.1 million global smartphone shipments in 2024, up 7.1% from 1,141.9 million in 2023. Its annual OEM table, which measures manufacturer shipments rather than model sell-through, was:
Best Value
- 6.7inch Super Retina XDR display. Aluminum with color-infused glass back. Ring/Silent switch
- Dynamic Island. A magical way to interact with iPhone. A16 Bionic chip with 5-core GPU
- Advanced dual-camera system. 48MP Main | Ultra Wide. Super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP). Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control. 4X optical zoom range
- Emergency SOS via satellite. Crash Detection. Roadside Assistance via satellite
- Up to 26 hours video playback. USB C, Supports USB 2. Face ID
| Company | 2024 shipments | Year-over-year change |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | 225.9 million | −1.4% |
| Samsung | 222.9 million | −1.1% |
| Xiaomi | 168.6 million | +15.4% |
| vivo | 100.9 million | approximately +14% |
| OPPO Group | 103.6 million | +2.8% |
Source: Omdia. Apple narrowly led Samsung by annual shipments for the second consecutive year, despite Apple’s shipments declining 1.4%. These figures cannot be substituted for the model ranking: they cover all phones shipped by each company, and corporate grouping rules—such as Omdia’s treatment of OPPO Group—affect comparisons.
What the 2024 ranking means for a phone purchase in 2026
Historical popularity is useful context, not a current buying verdict. Before choosing a 2024 model, check:
- the price gap to the newest generation;
- remaining software-support years and the phone’s security-update policy;
- battery health if buying used or refurbished;
- 5G bands, SIM configuration and network compatibility in your country;
- warranty, return rights and repair options.
For current stock and specifications, verify the exact regional listing rather than assuming that every variant is identical. Apple’s official pages include the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro, refurbished iPhones and Apple Trade In. Samsung provides pages for the Galaxy A15 5G, Galaxy S24 Ultra, Samsung Trade-In and Certified Re-Newed phones.
What this ranking does not prove
- It does not prove the iPhone 15 generated the most smartphone revenue.
- It does not make the iPhone 15 the best-reviewed or highest-quality phone.
- It does not mean the iPhone 15 led every national market.
- It does not show that Apple sold more phones than the entire Android ecosystem.
- It does not establish the best phone to buy in 2026.
The defensible headline is narrower than the shorthand version: the iPhone 15 was 2024’s best-selling individual smartphone in major global estimates, and Apple’s concentrated lineup put seven models in the reported top 10.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
