By Pallavi Rao
In 2021, the world had 7.1 billion mobile phone users, roughly 90% of the global population. The mobile phone is now one of humanity’s most ubiquitous pieces of technology, and these sleek modern devices are a far cry from their hefty, brick-like predecessors.
But what are the most sold mobile phones of all time?
Using data from Wikipedia, Yahoo Finance, and tech analyst firm Omdia, we chart out the sales of the mobile phones that have enjoyed unmitigated success.
The Most Sold Mobile Phones of All Time
Heading the list of most sold phones ever is the much-beloved Nokia 1100, recording more than 250 million sales in six years before being discontinued in 2009.
Despite existing at the same time as the first mass-market smartphones (the Nokia E-series and then the iPhone), the 1100s’ price, focus on basic functionality, and pocket size made it a favorite in developing countries.
At second place, another variant of the same line, the Nokia 1110, sold 248 million units.
RankMobile PhoneAll-Time Sales1Nokia 1100250M2Nokia 1110248M3iPhone 6/6 Plus222M4Nokia 105 Series200M5iPhone 6S/6S Plus174M6iPhone 5s165M7Nokia 3210161M8iPhone 7/7 Plus160M9iPhone 11/11 Pro/
11 Pro Max159M10iPhone XR/
XS/XS Max151M
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Ranked third is the iPhone 6 and 6 plus, with a combined 222 million units. Their 4.7 and 5.5-inch screens ushered in the era of large screen smartphones, and they remain Apple’s best-selling iPhones and the best-selling smartphones of all time. In fact, the iPhone 6 was so popular it was re-released in 2017 at a mid-range price level.
The next 17 ranks of the most sold phones are split between Nokias and iPhones, with only the Samsung E1100 (ranked 11th) and and the Motorola Razr V3 (ranked 17th) managing to break the duopoly.
Of course, Nokia and Apple have had very different fortunes in the last decade.
After riding telecom market deregulation, first in Europe, and then in Asia, Nokia failed the transition to smartphones and quickly lost ground to Apple, Google and Samsung.
Microsoft purchased Nokia’s mobile phone business in 2014 to boost their own Windows Phone, but when that failed, Nokia’s phone business was once again sold to HMD Global. Today, HMD Global still makes Nokia phones (including revamps of earlier models) which run on Android OS.
The Modern Mobile Phone Rivalry: Apple vs. Samsung
It’s hard to believe how quickly Apple’s core business has changed from personal computing to mobile phones.
In 2009 iPhone sales contributed about 25% to the company’s revenues. By 2023, half of Apple’s $383 billion revenue came from their phones.
The iPhone routinely dominates the top 10 best-selling phones every year, as evidenced from research by tech analysts Omdia.
2022 Best Sellers2022 Sales2023 Best Sellers2023 SalesiPhone 1355MiPhone 14 Pro Max31MGalaxy A1335MiPhone 1426MiPhone 13 Pro Max29MiPhone 14 Pro24MiPhone 14 Pro Max23MiPhone 1322MiPhone 1121MGalaxy A1420MiPhone 13 Pro19MGalaxy A14 5G14MiPhone 14 Pro18MGalaxy A54 5G14MGalaxy A03 Core18MGalaxy S23 Ultra13MiPhone 1417MGalaxy A04e11MGalaxy A0316MRedmi 12C11M
However, Korean electronics behemoth Samsung’s sales figures aren’t exactly lackluster either. And while the two companies’ business models differ quite a bit, their flagship devices are routinely put up against each other: Samsung winning on battery life and mid and lower-range options, and Apple winning on optimization and security. Both brands have stellar cameras.
And while Apple rules the U.S. smartphone market (52% market share), Samsung edges them out globally with a 22% market share, compared to Apple’s 19%.
