Updated timeline of the most popular cellphone manufacturers from 1996 to 2022. Ranked by annual worldwide sales of mobile phone brands.
Data source: annual sales reports, 10-K SEC quarterly reports.
1996–2000: The Dawn of Mobile Phones
Nokia: Dominates the market with reliable feature phones (like the 3210 and 3310), appealing to consumers globally.
Motorola: Strong early presence with iconic models like the StarTAC and later the RAZR (released in 2004).
Ericsson: Competes fiercely in Europe and Asia.
2000–2007: Feature Phones & Nokia’s Peak
Nokia: Reigns supreme with a massive market share (~40% globally by early 2000s). The 1100 model became the best-selling phone of all time.
Motorola: The RAZR V3 (2004) became the best-selling clamshell phone.
Samsung: Starts gaining traction in mid-2000s with its growing range of flip phones and early smartphones.
Sony Ericsson: A joint venture launched in 2001, famous for Walkman phones.
2007–2012: The Smartphone Revolution
Apple: Launches the iPhone in 2007, redefining the market and pushing smartphones mainstream.
Samsung: Enters the smartphone arena with the Galaxy series (2009–2010), quickly becoming a top contender.
Nokia: Starts losing ground to smartphone-focused rivals.
BlackBerry: Popular with business users for secure messaging and QWERTY keyboards, but struggles against touchscreens.
2012–2017: Android’s Global Domination
Samsung: Becomes the world’s top smartphone brand, leading Android’s charge.
Apple: Maintains a solid premium market share.
Huawei: Rises as a major force, especially in China and emerging markets.
Xiaomi, OPPO, Vivo: Emerging Chinese brands that surge in popularity thanks to aggressive pricing and innovation.
Nokia: Exits the phone market in 2014 (acquired by Microsoft).
2017–2022: Chinese Brands Surge & 5G Begins
Samsung: Remains the top seller in many years, known for flagship Galaxy S and A series.
Apple: Consistently high global sales with each iPhone release.
Huawei: Peaks in 2019–2020 but faces a decline due to US sanctions.
Xiaomi, OPPO, Vivo: Major players globally, especially in Asia and Europe.
Transsion: Brands like Tecno and Infinix dominate in Africa.
2022 Snapshot (Global Market Leaders)
Samsung – ~21% market share
Apple – ~17%
Xiaomi – ~13%
OPPO & Vivo – ~10% each
Transsion – Growing in Africa
Huawei – Reduced presence globally due to restrictions
Fun Facts & Trivia
Nokia 1100 is the best-selling phone of all time (~250 million units!).
The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus (2014) became Apple’s best-sellers, crossing 220 million units.
BlackBerry once had over 20% market share in 2009—now almost extinct in phones.
Motorola’s RAZR was so iconic that Motorola revived it as a foldable smartphone in 2019.
Source: Data is Beautiful
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