The iPhone XR was the best-selling smartphone in Q3 2019, meaning it has been the best-selling model every quarter so far this year, according to Counterpoint Research.

Its launch midway through Q4 2018 meant it didn’t top the lists that quarter, but it has done so ever since, comfortably beating out the base model iPhone 11…

The company said that the iPhone 11 managed fifth place in its own launch quarter.

According to Counterpoint Research’s Market Pulse, the iPhone XR was the top-selling model globally in Q3 2019, capturing 3% market share. In fact, except for the launch quarter in September 2018, iPhone XR has been the top-selling model globally in every quarter since Q4 2018. The XR alone contributed to over one-quarter of the total Apple sales during the quarter, making it the best-selling model for Apple across all regions. Apple also adjusted the price of the iPhone XR in China and several other markets, which helped keep demand strong during the quarter. The iPhone 11 also made its debut in the top 10 within the launch quarter.

The top 10 best-selling smartphones in Q3 comprised two iPhones, three low-end Samsung models, and a mix of Chinese brands:

iPhone XR

Samsung Galaxy A10

Samsung Galaxy A50

Oppo A9

iPhone 11

Oppo A5s

Samsung Galaxy A20

Oppo A5

Xiaomi Redmi A7

Huawei P30

While Samsung appeared to have pushed buyers up through its range, the reality was that it simply dropped the prices of its former “mid-range” A-series models to become the new low-end phones.

Samsung had three models in the top 10, all from the A series. Samsung discontinued its J series and brought the A series to lower price tiers. A series had a more premium perception than the J series. The new devices came with competing specs and design features, affordable price and Samsung’s strong brand perception (especially in the mid-segment) which provided an excellent value proposition to consumers. This was also strategically aligned with global trade-up trend. The A-series also gained some share from HONOR. However, there were no flagships from Samsung in the top 10 list.

Xiaomi’s single showing in the top 10, was thanks to India.

Xiaomi had Redmi 7A in the top 10. This was driven by India, which contributed to over half of the total sales of the model during the quarter.

If you’re wondering which iPhone to buy, check out our video comparison of the current line-up, as well as a direct comparison between the iPhone XR and iPhone 11.

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