How this iPhone became the most ‘popular’ smartphone of the year

2019 has been a peculiar year for Apple and its iPhones so far. Almost every quarter, every analyst and every research firm has reported in its quarterly numbers that the iPhone hasn’t been doing too well. Add to it Apple’s new-found policy of not disclosing the number of iPhone units it has sold, the general perception has been that 2019 hasn’t been a great year for Apple so far. However, a recent report by IHS Market revealed the top 10 highest-selling smartphones in the world so far in 2019. Guess which phone topped the list? It was Apple’s iPhone XR.
As per IHS Market numbers, Apple has shipped 26.4 million units of the iPhone XR. The second and third phones on the list are by Samsung – Galaxy A10 and Galaxy A50 – and they combined couldn’t manage to outsell the iPhone XR. Samsung Galaxy A10 sold around 13.4 million units whereas the Galaxy A50 sold a commendable 12 million units. How did the iPhone XR – in a year that hasn’t been great for Apple – manage to be the best-selling smartphone of the year? The answer lies in Apple getting its pricing right. Not when it was launched, mind you.