Apple iPhone is the best selling tech device of 2020

Apple’s iPhone was the best-selling tech product of 2020, outpacing its 2019 sales even amid the economic downturn spurred by the coronavirus pandemic. 

According to projections published by USA Today from Wedbush Securities analyst Daniel Ives, the iPhone once again topped phone sales with 195 million units in 2020, an increase from 185 million in 2019.

Ives attributed the increase in sales to the rise in the number of people working from home amid the pandemic, forcing many to upgrade their technology. 

However, USA Today reported that Ives still sees the sale increase as a “shock,” with customers paying anywhere from $399 to $1,099 for the iPhone even amid the coronavirus economic crisis. 

“It just speaks to the pent-up demand Apple has created in the install base,” Ives said. 

Apple has introduced four new iPhone products this year: iPhone 12 Mini ($699), iPhone 12 ($799), iPhone 12 Pro ($999) and iPhone 12 Pro Max ($1,099).

USA Today noted that the demand for updated tech extended beyond iPhones.

According to data compiled by Strategy Analytics, a total of about 212 million laptops will have been sold by the end of 2020, an increase of 23 percent from 2019. Additionally, about 181 million tablets will be sold this year, a 13 percent rise. 

The Consumer Technology Association has noted that about 38.6 million TVs were projected to sell in 2020. 

USA Today reported that several other Apple products saw an increase in sales this year, including Apple’s Airpods, iPad and Watch. 

Meanwhile, Samsung’s Galaxy smartphone saw a slight increase from 30 million sales in 2019 to 36 million in 2020. 

While Amazon currently has five Echo speakers available for purchase, sales for these products fell from 60 million units in 2019 to about 40 million expected this year, according to USA Today. 

Apple’s top sales come even as the company has been forced to close some of its stores amid surges in COVID-19 infections around the globe, causing consumers to increasingly opt to make their purchases online. 

Last week, a spokesperson confirmed to The Hill that Apple was temporarily closing its 53 retail stores in California amid rising coronavirus cases. 

Apple also closed all stores in Tennessee, two stores in Mexico and Brazil, and stores in London, according to the spokesperson.