The 10 most sold phones of all time are likely not the ones you think. Samsung’s Galaxy S and Note series didn’t make the cut, and nor did any other Android handset. The list is dominated by Nokia feature phones, also including older devices from Samsung, Motorola, and Apple. You can check out the full list below, which was created with the help of data compiled by The Telegraph and various other sources.
10. Motorola Razr V3 — 130+ million units sold
most sold phonesThe Motorola Razr V3 was an icon of its time. The device’s gorgeous design stood out from the crowd and made it one of the most successful phones ever. Not only is it the 10th most sold phone of all time, it’s also the highest selling flip phone ever. The Razr V3 can’t compare with today’s handsets in specs, but it was among the best around back in the day.
9. Nokia 2600 — 135+ million units sold
Released in 2004, the Nokia 2600 didn’t offer much — at least not by today’s standards. It was a simple device with the sturdy body Nokia devices were known for and small 1.5-inch display. It didn’t feature a camera, Bluetooth connectivity, or any other fancy features. But it did have great battery life and an affordable price tag that made it popular among many.
8. Samsung E1100 — 150+ million units sold
Like the Nokia 2600, the Samsung E1100 had a sturdy body and offered great battery life — 13 days on standby. It debuted in 2009 and became a success due to its affordable price and worldwide availability. The device featured a 1.52-inch display, 1MB of internal storage (that’s not a typo), and a built-in flashlight for finding stuff in the dark.
7. Nokia 5230 — 150+ million units sold
The Nokia 5230 was an entry-level smartphone with a 3.2-inch touchscreen, the Symbian operating system, and 3G connectivity. It also had a GPS chip, a 2MP camera, and 128MB of RAM. The device couldn’t connect to a Wi-Fi network, but that didn’t seem to bother people in 2009.
6. Nokia 6600 — 150+ million units sold
This phone’s quirky design made it special. Just look at it. It’s one of those things you either love or hate. Most people seemed to love it, considering it sold over 150 million units across the globe. The Nokia 6600 was a high-end model when it came out in 2003, offering a 2.1-inch display, a basic camera, and an 850mAh battery. It was quite expensive, retailing for around 600 euros (~$695).
5. Nokia 1200 — 150+ million units sold
The biggest feature of the Nokia 1200 was its battery life — seven hour of talk time and 390 hours on standby. It also had a flashlight you could turn on by long-pressing the scroll up key. Other than that, the phone wasn’t really all that exciting — it was just well built and well priced. That, plus the fact you could get it just about anywhere, made the Nokia 1200 one of the most popular phones in the world with over 150 million units sold.
4. Nokia 3210 — 150+ million units sold
The Nokia 3210 is super old. It launched in 1999, when phones were only used for making calls and sending texts. The handset became a massive success due to its robust body, many color options, attractive look, and the Nokia logo up front, among other reasons. Its best feature was the Snake game, which kept people glued to their screens for hours on end.
3. iPhone 6 and 6 Plus — 220+ million units sold
Released in 2014, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are the newest phones on this list. They can’t compare with the latest iOS or Android devices in terms of specs, but they offer way more than the other 9 most sold handsets of all time. One of the reasons for their success was their upgraded 4.7- and 5.5-inch displays, up from the iPhone 5s’ 4-inch screen. The iPhone 6 was three-times more popular than its bigger brother in the first few months of availability, likely due to its lower price tag.
2. Nokia N70— 250+ million units sold
This compact phone only offered the basics. It didn’t have a camera, a color display, or a fancy design like the Nokia N70 and many other devices also released in 2005. Still, it outsold just about everyone, mainly due to its global availability and affordable price. It was a great handset for those who only wanted to make calls, send texts, and play Snake every now and then.
1. Nokia 1100 — 250+ million units sold
The most sold model of all time is the Nokia 1100, a basic phone that debuted in 2003. It had a simple, curvy design that appealed to many, a small monochrome display, and a flashlight on top. It stuck to the same formula that made all the other Nokia feature phones popular, offering a solid build quality, an attractive design, and an affordable price tag. Nokia’s vast distribution network also brought the device to loads of markets across the globe, which played a big part in its success.
There you have it, folks. These are the 10 most sold phones to date.