The iPhone 7 may have got all the attention last year, but it turns out that the older iPhone 6s was actually the most popular smartphone in the world during 2016.
A new study from IHS Markit found that not only did the iPhone 6s outsell its newer sibling, it dominated Samsung’s lineup of newer Galaxy S7 phones too.
Sales of over 350 smartphone models were tracked by IHS Markit for its new report that reveals Apple had four of the top five selling smartphones in 2016 thanks to continued demand of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.
iPhone On Top
If you look at just fourth quarter sales alone, the iPhone 7 was the number one seller with the iPhone 7 Plus taking second place. Samsung’s global recall of the Galaxy Note 7 left it with only the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge as its premium handsets for all of 2016, even though they launched in March.
Photo: IHS Markit
Huawei didn’t have any its smartphones place in the top 10, even though it is now the world’s third largest smartphone maker. Chinese brand Oppo managed to grab the seventh spot thanks to strong sales of its A53 camera that was available the entire year.
The battle for the top smartphone of 2017 is about to heat up. Samsung is set to unveil its Galaxy S8 phone later this month. Meanwhile Apple is planning to pack tons of innovation into the new iPhone 8 that is expected to be revealed this fall.
Buster Hein is a freelance writer who lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Twitter: @bst3r.
4 responses to “iPhone 6s was world’s most popular smartphone in 2016”
My favorite smartphone of all time!
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It would be hilarious if we got a 7S
Cue a bunch of drones trying to justify how selling more phones, getting five years of the latest software and the phone actually working as promised as a bad thing.