The iPhone is the most iconic product from Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL). The company has been successful in retaining and expanding its loyal customer base that buys iPhones despite being criticised by industry leaders and analysts for lacking innovation or being the most expensive. Interestingly, Apple iPhone 11, launched more than 3 years ago, is still the most used smartphone in the world. According to the Mobile Overview Report (MOVR) Q3 2022 report by Scientiamobile, approximately 5.53% of the world’s total smartphone usage is recorded on iPhone 11.
It is important to note that the adoption of iPhone 11 is much higher than all other smartphone models in the world. This demonstrates that the majority of iPhone users don’t feel the need to upgrade even after using the device for three years.
Launched in late 2020, Apple iPhone 12 is the second most used smartphone in the world, accounting for 2.76% of all usages.
Apple iPhones beating Samsung devices
The report also highlights an interesting trend in consumer behaviour. The purchasing power of consumers has been rising with each passing quarter. The price is no more a hindrance for aspiring smartphone buyers.
What’s more surprising is that the world’s top 17 widely used smartphones are Apple iPhones. These most popular 17 iPhone models accounted for 31.02% share of all smartphone usages globally as of Q3 2022.
Apple is beating Samsung in terms of popularity and usage, worldwide. This is true even though Apple ships fewer devices than Samsung every year. The usage share of just two-year-old Samsung Galaxy A21s is lower than the six-year-old Apple iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. Apple iPhone 7 and 7 Plus accounted for 1.05% and 0.94% of world’s all smartphone usages, respectively, as of Q3 2022. On the other hand, Samsung Galaxy A21s had a 0.75% usage share.
Note that Samsung Galaxy A21s was released in mid-2020, while Apple iPhone 7 was launched in late 2016, and later discontinued.
Other Samsung Galaxy A series, including A32 and A10s, accounted for minuscule 0.68% and 0.43% of all smartphone usages, respectively.
Xiaomi, the fastest-growing smartphone company not only in India but also worldwide, has made to the list of top 20 widely used smartphones in the world. Launched in August 2019, Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 accounted for 0.58% of all global smartphone usages, placing it 20th on the list of most used smartphones in Q3 2022.
Most Used Smartphones In Asia, America, Europe
The usage of iPhone 11 is highest in North America and Oceania region with 9.4% and 9.2% share, respectively.
The usage share of Apple iPhone 11 is relatively lower in Asia than other major continents like Europe, Americas (North and South), and Oceania. However, the device is still ruling the roost. According to MOVR Q3 2022, Apple iPhone 11 accounted for 4.14% of all smartphones used in the Asia region. The iPhone 13 Pro Max came in second with a 3.09% share, followed by iPhone 12 Pro Max with a 2.91% share, and iPhone 11 Pro Max with a 2% share.
This low adoption of iPhone 11 and other iPhone models in Asia can be attributed to the fact that Android devices are far more popular than iOS in price sensitive countries like India. However, in China, Apple continues to be among top five vendors, with over 15% share.
Even though only 3.5% of smartphone users in Africa own an iPhone 11, it is still the highest usage share among all models.
In A Nutshell
What makes Apple iPhones so popular among smartphone users worldwide? Is it the brand value of Apple or the features & specs of iPhone or something else?
Apple continues to dominate the global premium smartphone market, with over 55% share. While, overall, it is the world’s second largest smartphone brand with 17.2% share. The company launches at least three iPhone models every year, making them the most expensive smartphones in the world. Apple products, including iPhones, Macbooks, and Apple Watches, are known for their closed iOS ecosystem, fast OS updates, striking design, easy to use interface, security, customer support, among other features and specs. On the other hand, Android devices still caught with issues like fragmentation and distributed app ecosystem which make them more prone to hacking.
