The iPhone 11 was the best selling smartphone model globally in Q1 2020, according to analyst and consultancy firm Omdia (via
AppleInsider).
Apple’s latest entry-level model has proven to be more
popular than last year’s iPhone XR, raking in sales of 19.5 million units during the January-March quarter.
In contrast, 13.6 million units of the iPhone XR were sold during the same period last year, which made it the most sought after phone globally in the year-ago quarter.
Apple’s strategy of offering better value for money is working
The iPhone XR was
priced at $749 at launch and it was the least expensive of all the 2019 models. With the iPhone 11, Apple went a step further, and reduced the price by $50 when compared to its predecessor without skimping on specs. In fact, if anything,
iPhone 11 boasts superior specs. It has a faster processor, a dual-camera setup, and supports Wi-Fi 6.
If these were normal circumstances, the fact that iPhone 11 outsold the iPhone XR wouldn’t have been surprising. However, given that the coronavirus is said to have impacted demand, the performance is commendable.
The
iPhone 11 Pro Max and iPhone 11 Pro also made the list, clinching the sixth and eighth spots, respectively. The iPhone XR was the fifth best selling phone during the quarter. Last year’s
iPhone XS and
iPhone XS Max were not amongst the top ten models in Q1 2019. So, we can surmise that the new lineup is doing better as a whole than last year’s range. And with the impending arrival of the 5G-ready
iPhone 12, sales will likely climb further.
The Samsung
Galaxy A51 trailed the iPhone 11, with sales of 6.8 million units. The
Galaxy A10s and Galaxy A30s were the seventh and tenth best selling models, respectively. The
Galaxy S20 Plus 5G was Samsung’s only flagship model to be included in the ranking. Omdia believes that increasing the number of models in the S series hasn’t boded well for the shipment of individual models. The company also echoes what has been observed before: the high prices of the new S series models haven’t been received well by consumers.
Apple, on the other hand, seems to be headed in the right direction. The company focuses on a smaller number of models and is now steadily decreasing prices to increase their appeal further. At the same time, it’s undercutting competition which is too deep into replicating its previous pricing scheme.
Omdia, like other market watchers, expects overall shipments to decline further this year as a result of the pandemic.
table comparing Q1 2020 and Q1 2019 smartphone sales
