The iPhone 5S is the most popular handset of 2014, while the number one mobile for Christmas is the iPhone 6
The iPhone 5S and 5C are officially the top handsets of 2014, with the recently-launched iPhone 6 taking 3rd place
However, the iPhone 6 wins the festive race to be the most popular handset for Christmas
The HTC One M8 is the only non Apple or Samsung phone to feature on the 2014 most-popular list
Britain’s affection for all things Apple is clear, with three handsets by the tech giant topping a list of the most popular phones for 2014, according to Uswitch.com, the price comparison and switching service.
The iPhone 5S, Apple’s first phone boasting fingerprint scanning technology, came top whilst the colourful iPhone 5C – widely disregarded for being too expensive for a smartphone marketed as a budget option – proved a wildcard, coming in 2nd place.
Britain’s third most popular mobile was the iPhone 6 – no mean feat considering it went on sale in the UK less than four months ago. The most popular phones of 2014 were all Apple or Samsung handsets, with the exception of the HTC One M8, which came 7th.
Only four handsets out of the 10 most popular of this year were actually released in 2014, showing that many top smartphones have long-lasting appeal. The oldest in the table, the iPhone 4S, was released back in October 2011, while the Samsung Galaxy S3 is still among the most popular, despite being released in May 2012. The table below shows this year’s bestselling smartphones:
Top Ten Handsets for 2014
| # | Handset | Powered by | UK release | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple iPhone 5S | iOS | Sept 2013 | ||
| 2 | Apple iPhone 5C | iOS | Sept 2013 | ||
| 3 | Apple iPhone 6 | iOS | Sept 2014 | ||
| 4 | Samsung Galaxy S4 | Android | April 2013 | ||
| 5 | Samsung Galaxy S5 | Android | April 2014 | ||
| 6 | Apple iPhone 4S | iOS | Oct 2011 | ||
| 7 | HTC One M8 | Android | March 2014 | ||
| 8 | Apple iPhone 6 Plus | iOS | Sept 2014 | ||
| 9 | Samsung Galaxy S3 | Android | May 2012 | ||
| 10 | Samsung Galaxy Note 3 | Android | Sept 2013 |
Source: Uswitch.com
Meanwhile, the winner of a fierce battle to be Christmas number one has been clinched by the iPhone 6, with the 5S and the 5C in 2nd and 3rd places, according to the Uswitch.com Mobile Tracker, which is based on live searches, pre-orders and sales. Samsung’s much-loved flagship phone, the Galaxy S5, was the UK’s 4th most popular mobile throughout December, while the older S4 also did well in the lead up to Christmas – coming in 9th place.
Britain’s love affair with the giant ‘phablet’ continued this Christmas, with the super-sized iPhone 6 Plus and Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4 both amongst the nation’s top 10 most popular phones for December.
Meanwhile, Sony, HTC and LG all produced handsets that proved a hit with the UK public in the run up to Christmas – all appearing in the chart below:
Top Ten Handsets for December (correct on 31st December 2014)
| # | Handset | Powered by | Movement in chart (comparing November) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple iPhone 6 | iOS | No Change | ||
| 2 | Apple iPhone 5S | iOS | é Up one | ||
| 3 | Apple iPhone 5C | iOS | ê Down one | ||
| 4 | Samsung Galaxy S5 | Android | No Change | ||
| 5 | Apple iPhone 6 Plus | iOS | No Change | ||
| 6 | Samsung Galaxy Note 4 | Android | No Change | ||
| 7 | Sony Xperia Z3 | Android | é Up two | ||
| 8 | HTC One M8 | Android | é Up three | ||
| 9 | Samsung Galaxy S4 | Android | é Up three | ||
| 10 | LG G3 | Android | No Change |
Source: Uswitch.com
Rob Kerr, mobiles expert at Uswitch.com, says: “It goes to show how unimportant having the latest smartphone tech is to many of us. One of this year’s most popular phones was released in the UK back in 2011, which, in tech terms, is aeons ago. The annual line up also lays bare Apple and Samsung’s stronghold over the UK mobile market, which could change next year as we see sterling offerings from the likes of HTC, Sony and LG to become stalwarts of the UK smartphone scene.
“With the first Amazon Fire phone only recently released and the announcement of Microsoft’s first ‘Lumia’ Windows handset, we might see a phone which doesn’t run iOS or Android in the top 10 next year.
“The Christmas battle is always intense. In December 2013, the iPhone 5S came top of the tree, while Samsung’s S4 and S3 took 2nd and 3rd places. However, Christmas 2014 was Apple’s time to shine – it stole all three top spots and its giant iPhone 6 Plus came 5th. But it’s not all about Apple. HTC, Samsung, Sony and LG have all produced phones that were more than worthy of appearing in many a stocking this year.”
For more information visit www.uswitch.com or call 0800 093 0607
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Lucy Smart
Phone: 020 7148 4663
Email: lucy.smart@uswitch.com
Twitter: @UswitchPR
Notes to editors
Annual top 10 based on website traffic to handset pages on Uswitch.com in 2014
The Uswitch.com Mobile Tracker data is derived from Omio's (www.omio.com) network of comparison sites, which includes com and a number of leading consumer technology websites which total in excess of 10 million monthly page views. The data is a result of an aggregation of all of the clicks and all of the sales from these partner sites.
About us
It’s all about “U”!
Thank you for indulging us over the last 20 years by using a small ‘u’ and a big ‘S’ when writing about our brand in your articles.
We are delighted to let you know that you are now off the hook - it’s big U’s all the way (and small s’s) as we undertake our biggest ever rebrand - so let your autocorrect go wild!
About Uswitch
Uswitch is the UK’s top comparison website for home services switching. Launched in September 2000, we help consumers save money on their gas, electricity, broadband, mobile, TV, and financial services products and get more of what matters to them. Last year we saved consumers over £373 million on their energy bills alone.
Uswitch is part of RVU, a new business that also owns Money.co.uk and Bankrate.
If you would no longer like to receive our press releases please email prteam@uswitch.com with 'unsubscribe'.