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The best-selling smartphone in China last year was the iPhone 13

New data from market intelligence company Counterpoint Research indicates that the iPhone 13 was the best-selling smartphone in China last year.

The company also notched up a new first in the country, as three different iPhone models took the top three slots in the sales ranking …

While the popularity of the base model iPhone in China is no surprise, nor is the fact that older models sell better than the latest flagships, 2022 was the first year in which Pro models made the top 10. This saw Apple take all three of the top slots.

Apple contributed over 10% of China’s smartphone sales volume in 2022. The iPhone 13 was the best-selling smartphone in China with a 6.6% market share, rising from the third spot in 2021 with a 2.3% share. Also, the iPhone 13’s sales more than doubled in 2022 compared to the previous year.

The iPhone 13 was followed by the iPhone 13 Pro Max and iPhone 13 Pro in the next two spots. These three iPhones contributed to 60% of Apple’s smartphone sales in China in 2022. This was the first time that Apple’s Pro variants were in the top 10 list for China.

The achievement was all the more notable given the high price of even older iPhones, compared to local models. Every other phone in the top 10 cost less than the equivalent of $500.

In all, Chinese consumers bought a total of 980 smartphone models, with Honor the other big winner.

In 2022, Apple’s iPhone 13 contributed to 37% of the brand’s smartphone sales in China, according to Counterpoint Research’s Global Monthly Handset Model Sales Tracker. Apple captured the top three spots in the list of China’s top 10 best-selling smartphones, followed by HONOR with four spots, the highest ever for the brand. vivo and OPPO captured two and one spot, respectively.

Apple is expected to face more competition this year, with its market share expected to fall.

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Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


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