iPhone Captures 51% of Global Smartphone Revenue, Setting New Record

Apple’s iPhone sales garnered a record 51% of marketshare worldwide, dominating smartphone sales and outperforming the entire industry based on premium iPhone X sales. The global marketplace reached a high of $120 billion in the fourth quarter of 2017 led by Apple.

Strategy Analytics, a global, independent research and consulting firm, pulled data from all sales last year. As Executive Director Neil Mawston said, “Apple iPhone is an ‘incredible money-making machine’ with the average iPhone sale reaching $800, almost three times the industry average.”

While Apple’s selling price has increased, the industry as a whole has seen 18 percent growth as well driven by other players such as Samsung that had 21 percent growth last quarter.

Apple sold 77.3 million iPhones in the fourth quarter of 2017, with an average selling point of $796.42. This drove revenue to $88.3 billion. The iPhone X model has the best selling model at the starting price of $999. Also, last quarter was a full week shorter in comparison to prior quarters given the holiday period, meaning that sales would have been even higher.

While Apple and Samsung both profit worldwide, other smartphone providers have often been operating at a loss. Newcomer Chinese handset maker Huawei has shown strong sales t hough at $8 billion in global revenue, making it the third largest vendor during Q4. Huawei’s handset sells at $205. To grow further, Huawei needs to reach bigger, lucrative markets.