Apple's lower-priced iPhone models might seem weak at first, but they're still outperforming nearly every other competitor in the smartphone market.
iPhone 16e
A recent report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) claims Apple's low-end phones, like the discontinued iPhone mini and SE models, have struggled. They share that the under 20% of iPhone sales recently and dropping to just 5%.
The firm argues that the iPhone 16e also faces an unclear future as it replaces the budget-friendly SE model with a higher price point.
However, focusing only on internal percentages can be misleading.
Entry-level iPhone sales compared to rivals
Apple's least popular models outperform the flagship phones of many competing brands. In 2022, eight of the top ten best-selling smartphones globally were iPhones. This trend continues into 2025.
iPhone model share by calendar quarter. Image credit: CIRP
For perspective, Apple's iPhone 14 alone represented 19% of all iPhone sales in 2023, surpassing entire smartphone lineups from rivals such as Google.
In contrast, Google's Pixel lineup rarely appears in global top-ten lists or even top-five. It struggles to match even Apple's most modest-performing models. For example, the company's market share of smartphone shipments in the U.S. maintained a 3% share from 2023-2024.
But that wasn't enough to make it onto the top five list. Instead, Google was "Others."
On the China side, represented through its subsidiary, Motorola, Lenovo held a 10% market share in the US smartphone market during Q4 2024. However, Vivo took the in China's smartphone shipments, at 18% in quarter four of 2024.
Apple doesn't need its entry-level models to dominate internally to remain commercially successful. The scale of the company's operations ensures that even lower-selling devices achieve sales volumes competitors dream of.
While CIRP suggests Apple struggles to market entry-level phones effectively, the broader picture tells a different story. Apple's entry-level offerings aren't just holding their own -- they're often outselling the best efforts from other smartphone manufacturers.