In a rapidly evolving smartphone market, staying up-to-date with the latest trends such as the best-selling devices is important. It helps us know how the product is performing in the market and how consumers are responding to it.
We are gradually moving towards the end of the year, and having passed the first 3 quarters out 4, we can now conveniently review the top 5 best-selling Android phones in 2023.
Here are the highlights:
- The global smartphone market records negative growth compared to last year’s shipment
- iPhone 14 Pro Max is the best-selling phone globally in 2023
- Samsung produces all Android smartphones in the top 10 best-selling phones in 2023
- The Redmi series is out of the league
- The same trend vs. 2024’s trend
According to the Omdia report, the global smartphone market is recording negative growth due to the economic recession and the adoption of used smartphones to save money.
Overall, iPhone is the most sold smartphone brand in 2023 taking the first 4 and 10th position.
Best-Selling Android Phones in 2023
Having analyzed the latest report by Omdia tech, we are surprised to see that only an Android phone brand takes the remaining 5 spots after the iPhone in the list of top 10 best-shipped phones in 2023. Last year, we had a couple of Android phone manufacturers such as Xiaomi on the list but 2023 speaks differently.
Without any further Ado, here are the best-selling Android phones of the year:
1. Galaxy A14
Unit sold: 12.4 million • Brand: Samsung
Globally, the mid-range phone — the Galaxy A14 by Samsung — claimed the 5th spot on the list with an impressive shipment volume of 12.4 million units, making it the number 1 in the list of best-selling Android phones in 2023.
However, it’s worth noting that this marked a decrease compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy A13, which held the 3rd position globally last year with 16.2 million shipments.
2. Galaxy S23 Ultra
Unit sold: 9.6 million • Brand: Samsung
Samsung’s premium offering, the Galaxy S23 Ultra, held steady at the 6th place in this year’s global rankings and it’s the 2nd best-selling Android phone in 2023.
PS: Last year Samsung’s premium, the S22 ultra 5G was also in the 6th position
Despite its consistent performance, it experienced a slight decrease in total shipments, down to 9.6 million units from the previous year’s shipment of the Samsung S22 ultra 5G which recorded 9.8 million units sold.
3. Galaxy A14 5G
Unit sold: 9.0 million • Brand: Samsung
Samsung’s Galaxy A14 5G model made a notable entry with 9 million units sold into the top 10, securing the 7th position globally and number 3 on the best-selling Android phone ranking in 2023.
With the increasing demand for 5G connectivity, this model’s presence is a testament to the evolving preferences of smartphone users.
4. Galaxy A54 5G
Unit sold: 8.8 million • Brand: Samsung
Continuing the success story for Samsung’s A-series, the Galaxy A54 5G took the 8th position globally and halved it on the list of best-selling Android phones in 2023.
This further underscores Samsung’s prowess in the Android smartphone market.
5. Galaxy A34 5G
Unit sold: 7.1 million • Brand: Samsung
Rounding up the list is yet another Samsung offering, the Galaxy A34 5G, which claimed the 9th position globally and 5th on the list of best-selling Android phones in 2023.
Its presence highlights the brand’s dominance in the Android phone landscape.
Those are the best-selling Android phones in 2023. Samsung dominates the list with its A-series and this again, is the result of the economic recession.
But you may want to know;
What Happened to Xiaomi’s Redmi Series in 2023?
Last year, Xiaomi’s Redmi series had two hot-selling models — the Redmi Note 11 and Redmi 9A, which had 7.6 million and 7.4 million units sold respectively, were in the top 10 best-selling phones globally in 2022, but unfortunately, they didn’t make the cut this year.
This decline according to Omdia can be attributed to the overall drop in shipments by Chinese smartphone manufacturers in the mid- to low-end market.
And some people from these markets realized that it pays them to buy a used Flagship phone rather than to buy a new mid-range phone.
Conclusion — Will there be a positive return in 2024?
The Omdia report also provides valuable insights into the global smartphone market. Omdia anticipates a decline in global smartphone shipments in 2023, primarily due to a continued slump in the mid to low-end market. This trend is expected to persist into the last half of 2023.
Additionally, with the launch of the new iPhone 15 series, the premium market is predicted to expand, potentially leading to another year of negative growth for Android-based smartphone OEMs.
In contrast, Apple’s shipments of Pro and Pro Max models are expected to rise, driven by strong demand for premium devices. However, the overall iPhone shipments for the year may remain similar to the previous year or see a slight decrease due to weaker demand for standard and plus models.
In 2024, this trend is likely to persist with iPhone topping the global ranking and Samsung fitting in. But it’s too early to be sure of this prediction until the first quarter of next year.
The report credited to Omdia
