In the early days of the iPhone, Apple produced a single model for all users. Nowadays, the company introduces four flagship models annually, alongside the iPhone SE and previous versions. Keeping track of all these releases can be overwhelming, but a recent report sheds light on which models are the most popular.
iPhone Model Sales Distribution
CIRP has shared a comprehensive overview of Apple’s iPhone sales over the past few years, emphasizing comparisons across different models to determine popularity.
Here are the percentages for this year’s iPhone sales (excluding the SE):
2024
- Base: 42%
- Plus: 13%
- Pro: 19%
- Pro Max: 26%
At first glance, these figures may seem surprising, but the context reveals a clearer picture.
Understanding the Numbers
One striking observation is the impressive sales of the base iPhone model.
Many may presume that the base model leads in sales due to its affordability.
However, those who closely monitor iPhone sales are aware that the Pro and Pro Max models typically rank as the top sellers among Apple’s new flagship releases each year.
So, how did the base iPhone manage to outsell the Pro model more than twofold in 2024, nearly matching the combined sales of the Pro and Pro Max?
The essential detail to consider is that these figures reflect total iPhone sales per model classification, with Apple releasing only one Pro and one Pro Max model at any given time—while multiple variations of the ‘base’ models are consistently available.
If you visit the online Apple Store today, here’s what you’ll discover:
Notice that the only available options for Pro and Pro Max models are from the newly launched iPhone 16 lineup.
Conversely, if you’re looking for a base or Plus model, Apple has three distinct iPhones across different price tiers.
This means that while the base iPhone ‘class’ emerges as Apple’s best-selling category, the individual top seller remains the Pro Max.
Additionally, the figures for iPhone Plus models appear even less impressive when one considers that the numbers pit three Plus models against a single Pro Max model, yet still show a significant deficit.
Thus, numbers can sometimes be misleading based on how they’re presented. Apple’s Pro line remains the most successful based on individual models sold, but when considering all models within a certain category, the base iPhones outsell everything else.
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