What you need to know
- Early global sales of the Galaxy S24 series are proving to be better than the Galaxy S23 series, with an 8% jump year-over-year.
- The Galaxy S24 Plus saw the biggest jump in sales compared to the S23 Plus, while the S24 Ultra dropped in sales despite having the largest share.
- The Galaxy S24 offers more RAM and a sharper display and is better equipped for on-device AI capabilities.
Samsung's sales of the Galaxy S24 series are already proving to be better than those of the Galaxy S23 series, and the latest numbers show us why. According to the latest data from Counterpoint Research, sales of the Galaxy S24 series rose by 8% in the first three weeks when compared to last year's early sales numbers, and the S24 Plus is driving up these numbers.
When comparing Samsung's flagship sales, the Galaxy 24 Plus still trails the base S24 and the Ultra, which have 21% and 52% share, respectively. However, the Galaxy S24 Plus has seen a massive 54% growth when compared to the Galaxy S23 Plus and grabbed 21% of S24 sales.
Notably, the base S24 only saw a meager 4% growth, while the Galaxy S24 Ultra actually lost share compared to the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Counterpoint also points out that preorder volumes were up across the S24 series in the U.S., Europe, and China, proving how popular these devices are.
Jeff Fieldhack, Counterpoint Research's research director for North America, highlights that while S24 growth is still under 10%, it's still within the high single digits, which is encouraging. "And in Samsung's biggest market – the US – we're seeing YoY growth in the mid-teens – solid numbers especially considering the tough February. And considering we're still really at the beginning stages of the coming GenAI smartphone boom, there is plenty of runway for more growth."
The Galaxy S24 Plus is Samsung's Goldilocks phone
Over the years, Samsung's Plus model has been seen as nothing more than a larger version of the base model, complete with a larger battery and faster charging. The device did not offer much difference beyond that when compared to the base, especially once Samsung reduced the display resolution to FHD+, meaning the choice between the two phones solely came down to size. That said, the popularity of the newest Plus model underscores some of the changes Samsung made to the device to set it apart from the base model further.
As I highlighted in my Galaxy S24 Plus review, the move back to a QHD+ resolution offers a refreshingly crisp picture that's much more appropriate for a large display. Of course, sometimes size is all that matters for some, which is why the smaller Galaxy S24 remains popular for users who prefer small Android phones. That said, larger devices appeal to those who enjoy viewing content on their smartphones, which is further enhanced by the improved brightness and higher resolution.
However, the real improvement comes with the bump in RAM to 12GB, which does wonders for app management. It does a much better job of keeping apps running in the background than phones I've reviewed with 8GB of RAM. Counterpoint Research also highlights the benefits it brings to Galaxy AI features, noting that 12GB is the "minimum spec for a large language model to run well" and highlighting the importance of higher-spec phones in the push for on-device AI.
"The big driver this year for Samsung's key flagship has been the S24 Plus model," states Minsoo Kang, a senior analyst at Counterpoint Research. "It's hitting the sweet spot on pricing, nudging upgraders as well as specs to support new users wanting optimized on-device AI."
The Galaxy S24 Plus retails for $999 before any deals and offers are taken into account, and there are plenty of those to help bring the price down. That's already $300 less than the S24 Ultra, which saw a price bump at launch and likely contributed to its slight sales decline. And while the Galaxy S24 Ultra camera system is still impressive, not everyone may find the extra sensor or built-in S Pen worth the extra cost.
The Galaxy S24 Plus finally makes a case for its existence, being more than just a larger S24 by offering more Ultra-like specs at a cheaper price and saving the "extra" features for those willing to pay for them. Of course, these are early sales numbers, so we'll have to see how the Plus model fares in the long run, but this should give Samsung some reason to keep it around after early rumors suggested the company would omit the middle phone from its lineup.
The Goldilocks phone
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Plus is the perfect phone for users who want many of the best flagship specs and features without dealing with the premium price tag that normally comes with that kind of package. Like the S24 Ultra, you still get a high-resolution display, 12GB of RAM, a large batter with fast charging, and on-device AI for added privacy.
