Best-selling phones in the U.S. by year.
A historical archive of the phones Americans bought, carried, and remembered — using the best available U.S. sales reporting, carrier-era evidence, and model-level market data where available.
What this archive is — and what it is not
This is a hardcoded historical reference page, not a live sales database and not an official award. Exact U.S. annual model rankings are easier to support in the smartphone era than in the carrier-controlled flip-phone era, so each card includes a confidence label.
Source types used
2025: Apple iPhone 16
Why it matters: Apple continued to dominate the U.S. premium smartphone market, and the iPhone 16 became the reference point for mainstream AI-ready iPhone upgrades.
Note: 2025 is labeled as strong evidence rather than absolute U.S. annual proof because public reporting combines global model rankings and U.S. market-share context.
Motorola StarTAC
Basis: U.S. carrier-era sales data is incomplete, but StarTAC was the defining premium U.S. flip phone of the late 1990s.
Why it mattered: Made the clamshell phone mainstream and helped turn mobile phones into pocketable consumer devices.
Fun fact: The StarTAC design helped make “flip phone” part of the American vocabulary.
Runner-up / context: Nokia 6160
Source note: Carrier-era public records are incomplete; model selected from best available historical sales and market context.
Nokia 6160
Basis: A major U.S. Nokia handset in the period when Nokia overtook Motorola globally.
Why it mattered: Helped Nokia become the dominant mass-market mobile brand as phones moved beyond business users.
Fun fact: Late-1990s Nokia models helped popularize simple menus, swappable faceplates, and long battery life.
Runner-up / context: Motorola StarTAC
Source note: Best available U.S.-relevant historical record; exact annual U.S. model ranking not consistently public.
Nokia 5160
Basis: U.S. network variants make exact rankings difficult; Nokia 5100/6100-era models were mass-market leaders.
Why it mattered: Represented the rugged, affordable Nokia candybar era that dominated American prepaid and carrier shelves.
Fun fact: The 5160 became a familiar “first cell phone” for many U.S. users.
Runner-up / context: Motorola Timeport
Source note: Best available carrier-era record; exact annual U.S. model ranking not consistently public.
Nokia 8260
Basis: U.S.-specific Nokia compact model during Nokia’s early-2000s dominance.
Why it mattered: Made tiny, stylish candybar phones fashionable before camera phones and smartphones took over.
Fun fact: The 8260 was small enough to disappear in a pocket compared with many older handsets.
Runner-up / context: Nokia 3310 family
Source note: U.S. model variants differed from global GSM models; selected as best available U.S.-relevant record.
Motorola V60
Basis: Widely sold across major U.S. carriers and one of the best-known early-2000s premium flip phones.
Why it mattered: Brought metal-body flip-phone styling to mainstream American carrier stores.
Fun fact: The V60 was sold in multiple network versions for different U.S. carriers.
Runner-up / context: Nokia 3390
Source note: Best available U.S. carrier-era evidence; exact annual model ranking limited.
Sanyo SCP-5300
Basis: One of the first camera phones sold in the U.S.; annual best-seller data is limited.
Why it mattered: Helped introduce U.S. buyers to built-in phone cameras before camera phones became normal.
Fun fact: Early camera phones had tiny sensors, but they changed what people expected from a phone.
Runner-up / context: Motorola T720
Source note: Selected for U.S. market relevance and release-year impact; exact best-selling model not consistently public.
Nokia 1100
Basis: The Nokia 1100 is one of the best-selling phones ever, but exact U.S. annual ranking is not cleanly documented.
Why it mattered: Showed that simple, durable, low-cost phones could outsell flashier devices worldwide.
Fun fact: The Nokia 1100 is commonly cited at roughly 250 million lifetime units.
Runner-up / context: Motorola V300 family
Source note: Global lifetime sales record used as fallback because public U.S. annual model data is incomplete.
Motorola Razr V3
Basis: Released in late 2004 and quickly became the U.S. fashion-phone phenomenon.
Why it mattered: Turned phone design into a mainstream fashion statement and set up Motorola’s mid-2000s U.S. run.
Fun fact: The Razr’s thin metal body made older plastic phones look dated overnight.
Runner-up / context: LG VX6100
Source note: RAZR’s strongest documented U.S. dominance begins in 2005; 2004 is release-year evidence.
Motorola Razr V3
Basis: Public NPD-era reporting describes the RAZR as the top U.S. consumer handset during its 12-quarter run.
Why it mattered: Became the must-have American flip phone and the best-known pre-iPhone handset.
Fun fact: The Razr line ultimately sold more than 100 million units worldwide.
Runner-up / context: LG Chocolate
Source note: NPD-era reporting and later summaries describe RAZR as the U.S. leader through this period.
Motorola Razr V3
Basis: Part of the RAZR’s documented U.S. best-selling run before the iPhone 3G displaced it.
Why it mattered: Its carrier discounts and wide availability made it the phone many Americans carried.
Fun fact: The RAZR was sold in multiple colors and carrier variants.
Runner-up / context: BlackBerry Pearl 8100
Source note: NPD-era reporting credits RAZR with a 12-quarter U.S. top-handset streak ending in 2008.
Motorola Razr V3
Basis: The iPhone launched in 2007, but RAZR remained the broader U.S. handset leader.
Why it mattered: Marked the last full year of the flip-phone era before touchscreen smartphones took over.
Fun fact: The original iPhone was AT&T-only and did not yet have the App Store.
Runner-up / context: Apple iPhone
Source note: NPD/Strategy Analytics-era reporting places RAZR above iPhone in U.S. handset sales during 2007.
Apple iPhone 3G
Basis: NPD reported iPhone 3G passed the Motorola RAZR as the top U.S. consumer handset in Q3 2008.
Why it mattered: Brought 3G, lower subsidized pricing, and the App Store era to mainstream U.S. buyers.
Fun fact: The App Store launched in 2008 with the iPhone 3G era.
Runner-up / context: Motorola Razr V3
Source note: NPD Group reporting, widely covered in November 2008.
Apple iPhone 3GS
Basis: Apple’s iPhone momentum accelerated after the iPhone 3G took the top U.S. slot in 2008.
Why it mattered: Made the iPhone faster and more practical, helping lock in the smartphone shift.
Fun fact: The “S” stood for speed.
Runner-up / context: BlackBerry Curve
Source note: Best available U.S. market context; exact full-year all-handset model ranking needs archival confirmation.
Apple iPhone 4
Basis: NPD’s U.S. 2010 phone ranking placed iPhone 4 at or near the top of the list.
Why it mattered: Retina display, glass design, FaceTime, and a stronger camera made it a landmark U.S. smartphone.
Fun fact: The iPhone 4 also introduced Apple’s high-resolution “Retina” marketing term.
Runner-up / context: Motorola Droid X
Source note: NPD 2010 U.S. handset reporting.
Apple iPhone 4S
Basis: NPD reported iPhone 4S at #1 in Q4 2011; full-year model data is less directly public.
Why it mattered: Added Siri and helped iPhone expand across more U.S. carriers.
Fun fact: Siri made voice assistants a mainstream smartphone feature.
Runner-up / context: Apple iPhone 4
Source note: NPD Q4 2011 U.S. handset reporting.
Apple iPhone 5
Basis: NPD reported iPhone 5 as the top U.S. phone in Q4 2012.
Why it mattered: Brought LTE and a taller screen to the iPhone at a time when U.S. 4G networks were expanding.
Fun fact: It was the first iPhone with the Lightning connector.
Runner-up / context: Samsung Galaxy S III
Source note: NPD Q4 2012 U.S. mobile-phone sales reporting.
Apple iPhone 5s
Basis: U.S. monthly reporting put iPhone 5s ahead of major Android rivals after launch.
Why it mattered: Touch ID and a 64-bit chip pushed phone security and performance forward.
Fun fact: The gold iPhone 5s became a high-demand color at launch.
Runner-up / context: Samsung Galaxy S4
Source note: U.S. sales reporting around launch; exact full-year all-model rank is less clean.
Apple iPhone 6
Basis: Kantar-era U.S. reporting showed iPhone 6 leading as larger iPhones lifted Apple share.
Why it mattered: Apple finally moved into larger-screen phones, matching a key U.S. consumer demand.
Fun fact: The iPhone 6/6 Plus generation is among the best-selling touchscreen phone families ever.
Runner-up / context: Samsung Galaxy S5
Source note: Kantar U.S. smartphone sales reporting.
Apple iPhone 6s
Basis: Kantar and related reporting showed iPhone 6s as a top U.S. seller around the period.
Why it mattered: Added 3D Touch, stronger cameras, and faster performance while the iPhone 6 design remained popular.
Fun fact: The rose gold color became a recognizable 6s-era look.
Runner-up / context: Samsung Galaxy S6
Source note: Kantar and market-research summaries; precise full-year U.S. model total not always public.
Apple iPhone 6s
Basis: IHS Markit reported iPhone 6s as the 2016 best-selling smartphone globally; U.S. evidence also favored iPhone.
Why it mattered: The 6s stayed highly popular even after newer models arrived, showing the strength of Apple’s installed base.
Fun fact: It is still remembered as one of Apple’s most durable modern iPhones.
Runner-up / context: Apple iPhone 7
Source note: IHS Markit global model ranking plus U.S. iPhone sales strength.
Apple iPhone 7
Basis: IHS Markit placed iPhone 7 and 7 Plus at the top of 2017 smartphone sales reporting.
Why it mattered: Water resistance, stronger cameras, and broad carrier availability kept iPhone at the center of the U.S. market.
Fun fact: The iPhone 7 removed the headphone jack, creating a major consumer debate.
Runner-up / context: Apple iPhone 7 Plus
Source note: IHS Markit and U.S. market context.
Apple iPhone XR
Basis: iPhone XR became Apple’s top-selling iPhone after launch; some annual trackers favor iPhone 8 depending on period.
Why it mattered: Delivered the newer all-screen iPhone look at a lower price than XS models.
Fun fact: The XR came in bright colors and became one of Apple’s most popular models.
Runner-up / context: Apple iPhone 8
Source note: Disputed because different trackers use launch-period, annual, or global model methods.
Apple iPhone XR
Basis: Omdia reported iPhone XR as the top global smartphone model; U.S. strength was substantial.
Why it mattered: Proved that buyers wanted flagship-style design at a lower iPhone price.
Fun fact: The XR’s LCD screen helped keep price below the OLED iPhone XS line.
Runner-up / context: Apple iPhone 11
Source note: Omdia global model ranking plus U.S. market context.
Apple iPhone 11
Basis: Omdia and related reporting identified iPhone 11 as 2020’s top smartphone model globally; U.S. demand was strong.
Why it mattered: Balanced price, camera, battery, and performance at the start of the pandemic phone-buying cycle.
Fun fact: It made dual rear cameras standard on the mainstream iPhone.
Runner-up / context: Apple iPhone SE (2nd gen)
Source note: Omdia global model ranking; exact U.S. annual model source not always public.
Apple iPhone 12
Basis: Counterpoint reported iPhone 12 as the top global model; U.S. 5G upgrade demand helped.
Why it mattered: Brought 5G to the mainstream iPhone line and revived flat-edge styling.
Fun fact: The iPhone 12 also introduced MagSafe to iPhone accessories.
Runner-up / context: Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
Source note: Counterpoint global top-10 reporting with U.S. market context.
Apple iPhone 13
Basis: Counterpoint reported iPhone 13 as 2022’s best-selling smartphone and noted major-market strength.
Why it mattered: Delivered better battery life and cameras without requiring buyers to jump to Pro pricing.
Fun fact: The iPhone 13 remained popular well after the iPhone 14 launch.
Runner-up / context: Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
Source note: Counterpoint 2022 top-smartphone model reporting.
Apple iPhone 14
Basis: Counterpoint reported iPhone 14 as the top model and said the U.S. and China accounted for half of its sales.
Why it mattered: Kept the base iPhone at the center of U.S. upgrade cycles while Pro models grew in appeal.
Fun fact: Emergency SOS via satellite became part of Apple’s safety pitch.
Runner-up / context: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Source note: Counterpoint 2023 global top-10 reporting with U.S. sales share note.
Apple iPhone 15
Basis: Counterpoint reported iPhone 15 as the global top seller; U.S. quarterly reporting also showed strong 15-series demand.
Why it mattered: USB-C, Dynamic Island on the base model, and a strong carrier upgrade cycle kept it prominent.
Fun fact: The iPhone 15 was the first standard iPhone with USB-C.
Runner-up / context: Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
Source note: Counterpoint global model ranking; U.S. quarterly trackers can favor Pro Max depending on period.
Apple iPhone 16
Basis: Counterpoint reported iPhone 16 leading global model rankings; Apple’s U.S. share reached very high levels in late 2025.
Why it mattered: Showed Apple’s continued U.S. dominance as buyers upgraded into AI-ready iPhones.
Fun fact: The 16 generation was closely tied to Apple Intelligence marketing.
Runner-up / context: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
Source note: Counterpoint global model reporting and U.S. market-share reporting.
How we handle disputed years
Some years have different answers depending on whether the source tracks all phones, smartphones only, U.S. sales only, global sales, a quarter, or lifetime sales by model. We label those years instead of hiding the uncertainty.
Keep shopping smarter
Use the archive for context, then use the current tools to compare today’s phones, check prices, and avoid bad used-phone deals.