Sorry, Samsung – iPhone 12 is the top selling camera phone so far this year

Best by far: iPhone 12 is the top selling camera phone so far this year
(Image credit: Apple)

It’s official, the iPhone 12 series is 2021’s best selling camera phone – for the first quarter at least. 

The iPhone 12 Pro has posted the largest revenue share of any camera phone so far this year, with 12%, while the iPhone 12 tops the charts for sales volume, accounting for 5% of global camera phone sales.

 Read more: Best camera phones

In fact the iPhone 12 series of camera phones accounts for the top three in terms of both revenue and sales volumes, with the iPhone 11 coming fourth on both counts. In total, iPhones account for six of the top ten phones with the largest revenue share for the first quarter – with three Samsung camera phones and one Huawei the best of the rest.

In terms of volume share, iPhones account for the first four places with three Xiaomi  and Samsung camera phones apiece rounding out the top ten. According to figures from the Counterpoint Research Global Handset Model Tracker, the top ten camera phones for volume share are as follows: iPhone 12 (5%), iPhone 12 Pro Max (4%), iPhone 12 Pro (3%), iPhone 11 (2%), Xiaomi Redmi 9A (2%), Xiaomi Redmi 9 (1%), Samsung Galaxy 12A (1%), Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 (1%), Samsung A215 (1%) and Samsung A31 (1%).

In terms of revenue share, the top ten for quarter one are: iPhone 12 Pro Max (12%),  iPhone 12 (11%),  iPhone 12 Pro (9%),  iPhone 11 (3%), Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (3%), iPhone 12 Mini (2%), Samsung Galaxy S21 5G (2%), Huawei Mate 40 Pro (2%), Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus 5G (1%) and iPhone SE 2020 (1%).

According to Counterpoint, “Strong 5G upgrades within iOS, stagnant demand and the spillover of Apple’s demand due to delayed launches were part of the driving force behind Apple’s volume.“

Read more:

Best iPhones for photography
Best 5G phones
Best Samsung phones
Best budget camera phones
iPad Pro gets 3 cameras

Laurence McJannet

Laurence is an NCTJ-trained journalist with nearly 20 years' editorial experience gained on a wide range of publications, from The Beirut Times in Lebanon to The Sunday Times, and including recent freelance engagements with Future's cycling and automotive portfolios, Outdoor Fitness, and The English Home. He has recently been undertaking a sports broadcast journalism MA at Southampton Solent, gaining valuable TV and radio experience, and am currently videographer for Frome Town FC soccer team. He is the author of Bikepacking (Wild Things Publishing, 2016).