Research company Omdia placed Apple’s iPhone 14 at the top of global smartphone shipments in H1, citing a consumer preference for high-end devices.

Omdia put iPhone 14 Pro Max shipments at 26.5 million units, with the Pro on 21 million and the basic model 16.5 million.

The iPhone 13 placed fourth on 15.5 million units: Omdia stated it was the top-selling smartphone in H1 2022, with shipments of 33.7 million units.

Overall, five Apple models were in the top ten, with Samsung models accounting for the remainder.

Omdia placed Samsung’s Galaxy A14 as its leading model, with 12.4 million units shipped.

It noted overall shipments were hampered by a low- to mid-tier sector which shrank due to “economic recession” and growth in the second-hand market.

Omdia predicted full year shipments will also be lower, again due to the drop in demand in the lower tiers.

Senior research manager Jusy Hong forecast a bump in demand for the broader market after Apple unveils its latest iPhone, which is expected to happen next month.