Samsung is the most popular Android OEM in the market, as its sales numbers show. A new study shows that four of the top 10 smartphones in 2019 are Samsung models.
Four of the top 2019 smartphones are Samsung models
The study, which shows the top 10 smartphones in the world for 2019, shows that Samsung’s Galaxy A10 was the top-selling Android smartphone in 2019. The A10 comes in third place, however, behind Apple’s iPhone XR and iPhone 11. Samsung’s Galaxy A50, A20, and J12 Core came in fourth, fifth, and tenth place, respectively. Only Android OEM Xiaomi had a phone break through the top ten globally, outside of Samsung. The other places in the top ten are for other iPhones sold by Apple: iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 8, and iPhone 11 Pro.
In the top 2019 smartphones from Samsung, where is the Galaxy S10 series?
With the top-selling 2019 smartphones, one will ask, “where is the Galaxy S10 series?” The Galaxy S series is one of Samsung’s flagship series outside of the Galaxy Note lineup. The Galaxy S10 series likely didn’t sell because of its expensive price tags ($900-$1,000 USD). This is in contrast to 2018, where Samsung’s Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus appear in the top global phones list. Even then, however, the S9 series came in at seventh and eighth place. That year, Samsung’s Galaxy Grand Prime Plus was its best-selling global phone, coming in fourth place.
The Galaxy S20 series is even more expensive than the S10 series, with prices ranging from $999 (Galaxy S20) to $1,199 (Galaxy S20+) and $1,399 (Galaxy S20 Ultra).
Even in times of financial decline, Samsung still sits atop Android
Samsung’s rise to the top of Android hasn’t been easy. Staying atop Android isn’t easy, either. When one considers the sheer rise of Chinese Android OEMs with flagship specs and cheaper prices than most Samsung flagships, it’s easy to understand why Samsung has such a hard time penetrating the Chinese market. And yet, even in times of financial decline, Samsung still sits atop the Android world. With four of the top ten phones of 2019 being Samsung models, it’s clear that global Android users still prefer Samsung to all other Android OEMs.
Android and iOS users are different, but both want more affordable phones
Apple has 5 smartphones on Omdia’s top 2019 phones list, but one cannot approach Apple and Android OEMs the same. Samsung’s four Galaxy A phones are an accomplishment in light of its presence in a market with multiple OEMs. Apple, on the other hand, sells its own unique iOS software on its devices, with users wanting iOS having nowhere else to turn. The iPhone XR is Apple’s top-selling phone of 2019, but Apple’s more expensive flagship iPhones have been popular in recent years because there were no alternatives.
While the iPhone 11 series overall has helped Apple in many respects, and serves as “another great iPhone,” iPhone users are starting to turn the tide in what they want. There once was a time when Apple’s top flagship would have been a $900-$1000 iPhone. Now iPhone users want something more affordable. The iPhone XR comes in at an initial selling price of $749 (64GB) and $799 (128GB).
And iPhone users are starting to come around to what Android users have always said about Apple prices. Android users have always been more in favor of budget-friendliness. Over the years, Samsung’s more affordable Galaxy J, Galaxy A, and other series have helped the Korean OEM ship over 300 million phones annually. As one can see above, Samsung’s budget-friendly phones are still keeping the company on top.
Samsung’s Galaxy A series: budget price, flagship specs
Samsung said that it intended to change its approach to the Galaxy A series. The top Android OEM ditched the Galaxy J series and went all in on the Galaxy A, promising to bring innovation while maintaining an affordable price tag. The Galaxy A10, A20, and A50 offer some flagship specs for budget prices.
The Galaxy A10 has a 6.22-inch display, facial recognition, and a 3,400mAh battery. The Galaxy A20 has 6.4-inch display, Bluetooth 5.0, USB Type-C charging, 4,000mAh battery and a dual-camera setup. The Galaxy A50 features a 4,000mAh battery with 64GB of internal storage, 4GB of RAM, and a triple-camera setup. The Galaxy A50 also features an in-display fingerprint sensor, a new biometric authentication trend on $1000 Android flagships.
With wide 6+-inch screens and flagship biometric authentication features such as facial recognition and in-display fingerprint sensors, users get what they want for the price they want. The large battery capacities are also another buyer desire. Most consumers wouldn’t mind settling for a more budget-friendly phone with better battery life.
Samsung is showing the Android world that phones can combine the most desirable specs for the most desirable price. Sure, the Galaxy A series doesn’t give users all they want, but it gives them enough of what they want to compromise on the rest. And that’s what makes a winning series after all.