HIGHLIGHTS
- Samsung shipped over 51.8 million units of the Galaxy A12 globally in 2021
- Apple sold around 201 million iPhones in 2021
- Around 9 million units of foldable smartphones were shipped last year
Samsung Galaxy A12 was the world’s most popular smartphone in 2021, according to a report by research and advisory group Media. The Samsung Galaxy A12 sits on the top of the list for last year, followed by Apple’s iPhone 12 and iPhone 13. This is interesting since the Apple flagship phone’s base unit is usually the best-selling model. Still, it’s usually an Android smartphone that dominates the smartphone market in the budget smartphone area. Apple doesn’t ship an iPhone at this price bracket, at least for now. This year, the most popular smartphone title goes to Samsung Galaxy A12, a Rs 13,999 smartphone(base unit).
The most popular smartphones in 2021
Why Samsung Galaxy A12 is number one on the list
Samsung Galaxy A12 specifications
- 6.5-inch HD+ display
- Exynos 850 SoC
- Up to 6GB RAM, 128GB storage
- Android 11 with OneUI Core on top
- 48MP + 5MP + 2MP + 2MP
- 8MP front-camera
- 5,000mAh battery, 15W fast-charging
309 percent YoY growth in foldable shipments
According to Omdia, foldable smartphone sales volume climbed fast in the second half of 2021, with yearly foldable smartphone shipments hitting 9 million units in 2021, up 309 percent. In the second half of 2021, 8 million foldable smartphone units were sold, accounting for 89 percent of total shipment for the year.
According to a report from IDC, foldable devices will see healthy growth for at least three more years. In 2021, around 9 million foldable smartphones (fold and flip) units were shipped, which is a 264.3 percent increase over the 1.9 million units shipped in 2020, all thanks to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Fold 3. Furthermore, the report also predicts a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 69.9 percent in the next three coming years, reaching 27.6 million units in sales by 2025.
Although the IDC report shows a promising figure of 27.6 million unit sales by 2025, it is still a measly 1.8 percent of the total shipments in the smartphone market. There is no denying that the traditional candy bar form-factory smartphone can be a bit outdated for many over a newer and fancy foldable design. However, it will be interesting to see brands’ and consumers’ preferences between foldable and flip space.
Key Specs