From the BlackBerry to the iPhone: The most popular phones over the past 20 years

Ellica // Shutterstock As the holiday shopping season approaches, one perennial gift–cellphones–is more popular than ever. Most (97%) adult Americans own a cellphone of some sort, according to a January 2024 Pew Research Center mobile study. Nine in 10 Americans own a smartphone, a number expected to rise this year. This year, the iPhone 16, which Apple introduced on Sept. 20, is already generating buzz among holiday shoppers. The new model boasts a dedicated shutter button for higher-quality photos and a faster processor that supports Apple Intelligence features, which include AI-generated images and ChatGPT integrated with Siri. New phones, and tech in general, have long been popular holiday gifts. Some consumers may line up when a new model drops, but others tend to wait for the holidays to give–or receive–a newer, pricier phone. In years past, Apple has seen a post-holiday season sales spike. Strong first-weekend sales after a new iPhone is unveiled have predicted robust holiday sales. The National Retail Federation forecasts a 2.5% to 3.5% increase from last year’s holiday sales, putting sales projections at an all-time high. These indicators suggest mobile sales will soar. Mobile sales rebounded this year after a slight decline in 2023, increasing by 7.8% year over year during the first quarter of 2024, according to the International Data Corporation. Mobile phones have drastically changed in style and appearance, hardware, and functionality since they became widely available in the early 2000s. Even the BlackBerry, once considered high-tech, might look like ancient history now compared to sleek and speedy new models. Spokeo reviewed marketing studies and historical sources to find the most popular phones over the past 20 years and their place in the timeline. How cellphones have changed over time Bettmann // Getty Images When the first cellphone prototype debuted in 1973, it was a large, bulky block that could hardly be called convenient. The Motorola DynaTAC–or “the brick,” as it was dotingly called by its inventors–weighed about 2.5 pounds and took 10 hours to charge for only 35 minutes of usage. However, it took decades for cellphones to be accessible to everyday consumers. By the early 2000s, cellphones evolved into pocket-sized portables with more features and personalization options than their predecessors. The iconic Nokia 1110, unveiled in 2003, targeted populations in emerging markets like Russia and China at the time. Despite its discontinuation in 2009, it remains the bestselling cellphone of all time. Other phones that gained popularity early on include the Motorola Razr, which had a distinctly sleek design in vibrant colors like bright blue and candy pink. In 2002, with the launch of the game-changing BlackBerry 5810, cellphones made a leap in functionality. With a calendar, full keyboard, and internet access, the double-thumbed typing popularized the BlackBerry first among the business class, and then among the wider population. Over time, cellphones got slimmer and smarter, and features expanded to include web browsing, music, and games. However, when the first iPhone was released in 2007, it shifted the cellphone market–and the culture surrounding it. Today, out of the 15 bestselling phones, nearly half of them are iPhones. Apple is credited with popularizing touchscreen phones and digital storefronts like the App Store. The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are the second-bestselling phones of all time, just behind the Nokia 1110. The newest iPhones on the list are the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max. Since 2004, Nokia, Samsung, and Apple have dominated the mobile phone market. Though Samsung only has one phone on the bestseller list, it holds the largest global market share and has the most global shipments The Samsung E1100 stands out for its durability and battery life, similar to Nokia phones, which still maintain a reputation of affordability and durability. Read on to see which mobile phones were the most popular over the past two decades. #14. Nokia 1600 (1650/1661) (tie) Lucky Photographer // Shutterstock – Year released: 2005 – Total units sold: 130M #14. Motorola RAZR V3 (tie) Velimir Zeland // Shutterstock – Year released: 2004 – Total units sold: 130M #13. Nokia 2600 (2610/2626/2630) HitManSnr // Shutterstock – Year released: 2004 – Total units sold: 135M #12. Apple iPhone 5 Antlii // Shutterstock – Year released: 2012 – Total units sold: 146.2M #9. Samsung E1100 (tie) Mehaniq // Shutterstock – Year released: 2009 – Total units sold: 150M #9. Nokia 5230 (tie) Natalia Bostan // Shutterstock – Year released: 2009 – Total units sold: 150M #9. Nokia 1200 (tie) Wachiwit // Shutterstock – Year released: 2007 – Total units sold: 150M #8. Apple iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max Hadrian // Shutterstock – Year released: 2018 – Total units sold: 151.1M #7. Apple iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max Farknot Architect // Shutterstock – Year released: 2019 – Total units sold: 159.2M #6. Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus Vasin Lee // Shutterstock – Year released: 2016 – Total units sold: 159.9M #5. Apple iPhone 5S DenPhotos // Shutterstock – Year released: 2013 – Total units sold: 164.5M #4. Apple iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus Jirapong Manustrong // Shutterstock – Year released: 2015 – Total units sold: 174.1M #3. Nokia 105 series Eudaimonic Traveler // Shutterstock – Year released: 2013 – Total units sold: 200M #2. Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus Hadrian // Shutterstock – Year released: 2014 – Total units sold: 222.4M #1. Nokia 1110 Justin Sullivan // Getty Images – Year released: 2005 – Total units sold: 247.5M Story editing by Alizah Salario. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Paris Close. This story originally appeared on Spokeo and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.