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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Apple’s iPhone 13 was the world’s best-selling smartphone model in calendar year 2022, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max ranked second, according to Counterpoint Research’s global model-level sales tracker. The iPhone 13 accounted for about 5% of global smartphone sales and 28% of iPhone sales; the Pro Max accounted for about 2.6% of global sales. These are model rankings, not a claim that Apple led every vendor in total annual shipments.
How the top two models ranked
Counterpoint Research’s annual ranking treats each phone model separately. It put the iPhone 13 first and the iPhone 13 Pro Max second; they were not tied for first. Counterpoint said the iPhone 13 sold approximately twice as many units as the Pro Max.
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Apple iPhone 13 Mini, 128GB, Blue - Unlocked (Renewed) | $229.00 | Buy on Amazon |
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| Rank | Smartphone model | Share of global smartphone sales | Share of Apple iPhone sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple iPhone 13 | About 5% | 28% |
| 2 | Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max | About 2.6% | Not stated by Counterpoint in the available ranking material |
Shares and ranking are attributed to 9to5Mac’s account of Counterpoint’s 2022 ranking; the underlying Counterpoint report is available in its quarterly report PDF. These are approximate shares of global smartphone sales, not Apple’s share of all smartphone sales. Apple does not generally publish unit sales for each individual iPhone model, so the model figures are tracker estimates rather than an audited breakdown in an Apple filing.
Apple placed eight models in the global top ten
The iPhone 13 and 13 Pro Max led a list heavily weighted toward Apple: eight of the ten positions went to iPhone models, while Samsung occupied the other two. The ten models together accounted for approximately 19% of global smartphone sales, according to the Counterpoint report.
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The other models identified in the available ranking coverage include the iPhone 14 Pro Max at third, Samsung Galaxy A13 at fourth, and iPhone 13 Pro at fifth. Their individual shares are not stated in the available material. The Galaxy A13 was the highest-ranked non-Apple model.
Why the iPhone 13 led for the year
The iPhone 13 was not a new release in 2022: Apple launched it in September 2021. That gave it a full calendar year in which to accumulate sales, including many months before the iPhone 14 family arrived. Counterpoint-related coverage reported that the iPhone 13 led the monthly global model ranking from its launch through August 2022. It was also particularly strong in China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, as reported by The National.
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Its position as the standard iPhone 13 model, rather than a Pro-tier device, likely broadened its appeal: it offered a lower point of entry into that iPhone generation while retaining the generation’s familiar design and 5G capability. Broad availability through Apple, carriers, and retailers, as well as the established iPhone ecosystem, are plausible contributors too. The ranking establishes sustained sales strength; it does not isolate the effect of any one feature, price promotion, or distribution channel.
Why the iPhone 13 Pro Max also reached No. 2
The second-place finish is notable because the Pro Max was the large, premium-priced model in the range. Counterpoint’s separate first-quarter 2022 premium-market analysis found that Apple held 62% of the global premium smartphone market that quarter, and that the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max together made up more than two-thirds of sales volume in the ultra-premium segment. Those are quarterly segment figures, not the full-year model ranking, but they provide context for the Pro Max’s strong showing.
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A large display, larger battery, and higher-end camera system are features that may appeal to buyers choosing the top-tier model. Carrier financing and upgrade plans can also make a high retail price feel more manageable month to month. The cited figures do not prove that any of these factors caused the Pro Max’s rank, so they are best understood as possible explanations rather than measured causes. Counterpoint’s premium-market findings are available in its Q1 2022 analysis.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max took over late in 2022
The annual result does not mean the iPhone 13 led every month of 2022. Counterpoint-related reporting says the iPhone 14 Pro Max topped the monthly ranking in September, October, and November, after the new generation launched. The iPhone 13’s leadership through August gave it a substantial head start over a model that only entered the market late in the year. The monthly shift is documented by TechSpot’s coverage of the ranking.
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Supply also shaped the late-year picture. Counterpoint said production disruption at the Zhengzhou factory affected Pro-series supply and that the Pro series might have taken a larger share of iPhone shipments without those problems. Meanwhile, global smartphone shipments fell about 12% in 2022, and Canalys described Apple’s fourth quarter as difficult amid manufacturing restrictions and weaker demand. These market conditions help explain why monthly leadership, annual model sales, and company shipment totals need to be kept distinct. See Counterpoint’s annual market report and Canalys’s 2022 market figures.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How Apple’s model ranking differs from vendor shipments
Apple’s two leading individual models do not mean Apple shipped more smartphones overall than every competitor. Canalys’s full-year 2022 vendor estimates put Samsung first at approximately 257.9 million smartphone shipments and 22% market share, with Apple second at approximately 232.2 million and 19%. Xiaomi ranked third. Those figures concern vendor shipments across a company’s whole lineup; Counterpoint’s list concerns sales of individual models.
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- Cinematic mode in 1080p at 30 fps. Dolby Vision HDR video recording up to 4K at 60 fps. 2X Optical zoom range
- A15 Bionic chip. New 6-core CPU with 2 performance and 4 efficiency cores. New 4-core GPU. New 16-core Neural Engine
- Up to 19 hours video playback. Face ID. Ceramic Shield front. Aerospace-grade aluminum
| Measure | What it counts | 2022 finding | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model-level sales ranking | Individual smartphone models sold globally | iPhone 13 first; iPhone 13 Pro Max second | Counterpoint ranking coverage |
| Vendor-level shipments | All models shipped by each company | Samsung first; Apple second | Canalys |
Sales to buyers and shipments into distribution channels are related but not identical measures. A company can have the two most popular individual models while another company leads total shipments by selling many models across more price bands. Canalys’s full-year figures also show the wider market contracted: global shipments declined 12% in 2022.
What this ranking does—and does not—say
- Geography and period: This is a global ranking for calendar year 2022, not a ranking for a single country or for a launch-to-launch year.
- Category: The data concerns smartphones, not basic feature phones or every kind of mobile handset.
- Unit of comparison: The iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, and iPhone 14 Pro Max are separate models, not one combined iPhone 13 family entry.
- Interpretation: A sales rank measures commercial popularity, not which phone was technically best, offered the best value, or satisfied every buyer most.
The precise conclusion is that Counterpoint ranked the iPhone 13 as the best-selling smartphone model worldwide in 2022 and the iPhone 13 Pro Max second. Apple occupied the top two model positions even though Samsung led Canalys’s vendor shipment ranking for the year.
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