iPhone 12 Became the World's Top 5G Smartphone Within Two Weeks of Launch
A new report published today by Counterpoint Research finds that the iPhone 12 became the world's bestselling 5G smartphone in October, in spite of its delayed launch.

Although the iPhone 12 was only sold for two weeks in October, it was still able to top the rankings. These two weeks' worth of sales allowed the iPhone 12 to become the seventh-bestselling 5G device sold between January and October of 2020.
The iPhone 12 Pro was the second-bestselling 5G smartphone, followed by the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G. Together, the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro captured almost one-fourth of total 5G smartphone sales in October.
Counterpoint credits a number of factors for the explosive success of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro compared to other existing 5G devices. For example, it is believed that there was significant pent-up demand for a 5G upgrade within the iOS user base. The uptick was also caused by strong carrier promotions within the United States, which accounted for over one-third of iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro sales for the month. Compared to most other 5G devices, the iPhone generally has a wider market coverage with availability in over 140 countries.
The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro have also given a "much-needed" boost to the 5G smartphone market, which achieved its highest ever share of 24 percent in the global smartphone sales in October.
Sales of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro have more than doubled the penetration of mmWave-capable smartphones from five percent in September to 12 percent in October. Counterpoint highlights how this is likely to impact the telecoms industry, and speculates that it may facilitate Apple's future push into other sectors such as augmented reality or virtual reality:
This is important because it gives operators an incentive to deploy mmWave infrastructure rapidly. The high throughput and low latency provided by mmWave will help unlock the true potential of 5G. With the mmWave network and devices in place, it would lay a solid foundation for Apple to leverage the power of mmWave in segments like AR/VR.
Counterpoint expects demand for the iPhone 12 series to remain strong through the fourth quarter of 2020, particularly during the holiday season. The late launch of the devices is likely to push sales into subsequent months, thereby maintaining the momentum of sales into early 2021.
Popular Stories
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year.
As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display
iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year.
In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors.
Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each.
iPhone 17 Series
iPho...
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July.
Transparency
In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further.
Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models.
Latest Rumors
These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Image via Majin Bu.
Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side.
...
iPhone 17 models will feature a redesigned Dynamic Island user interface, according to a post today from Digital Chat Station, an account with more than three million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The account has accurately leaked some information regarding future Apple products in the past.
The account did not share any specific details about the alleged changes that are ...
Amazon is back with its annual summertime Prime Day event, lasting for four days from July 8-11, the longest Prime Day yet. As it does every year, Prime Day offers shoppers a huge selection of deals across Amazon's storefront. With the event now underway, we're tracking numerous all-time low prices on Apple gear right now.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a...