Apple Had 8 Of 9 Best-Selling Phones Of 2022; iPhone 14 Pro Max At Top 3

The year 2022 was a big year for phone maker Apple as eight of its smartphone models were among the top 10 best-selling smartphones worldwide.

According to global research firm Counterpoint Research's Global Monthly Handset Model Sales Tracker, the top 10 best-selling smartphones accounted for 19% of the total global smartphone sales last year.

Apple's iPhone 13 ranked first among the best-selling smartphones, contributing 28% of total iPhone sales last year. It was the most-sold smartphone in China, the U.S., the U.K., Germany and France, according to the sales tracker.

Last year also marked the first time that a Pro Max variant of an iPhone series exceeded the sales of its Pro and base models. Despite only being released in September 2022, the iPhone 14 Pro Max became the third best-selling smartphone model in 2022.

"For the first time, a Pro Max variant of an iPhone series drove more volume than its Pro and base models," Counterpoint Research wrote in its report.

"The iPhone 14 Pro Max sales were led by early adopters and those upgrading to a higher iPhone variant. Major advancements in the iPhone 14 Pro series, such as dynamic island and faster processor, make it more attractive, as the base model is almost identical to the previous year's model," the research firm added.

Apple's iPhone 14 and Pro variants ranked seventh and eighth, respectively.

Meanwhile, the iPhone 12, which was the best-selling smartphone of 2021, was also one of the best-selling models in 2022 as it clinched the sixth spot.

The report noted that iPhone 12 is still popular in the U.S., Japan and China. The model's price cuts and 5G capability also buoyed its sales.

The two non-Apple products that managed to make it to the top 10 list are the Samsung Galaxy A13 and Samsung Galaxy A03. They ranked fourth and 10th, respectively.

According to Counterpoint Research, the Galaxy A13's affordable price and attractive specifications became its top selling point.

On the other hand, the Galaxy A03 was the only model included in the best-selling list to be powered by UNISOC and was the most affordable of them all.

Both Samsung Galaxy models registered strong sales in the Caribbean and Latin America.

The report, however, said the number of active smartphone models dropped to around 3,600 in 2022 from over 4,200 in 2021.

The research firm said it expects phone makers to continue making their portfolios "leaner" this year to avoid cannibalization.

CNBC reported that in 2022, a total of 1.21 billion smartphones were shipped.

Research firm IDC said the figure was the lowest annual shipment total since 2013.

Due to macroeconomic weakness and soft consumer demand, global smartphone shipments declined in the fourth quarter of 2022, when sales would usually be higher due to holiday shopping, according to IDC.