Pixel 9 launch crushes Google's quarterly sales record

Key Takeaways

Google hit record Q3 smartphone sales in 2024 after launching the Pixel 9 series.
Pixel 9 models received positive reviews for performance and design, with the Pixel 9 Pro XL praised for its camera.
Growth in smartphone sales seen globally with Apple also experiencing a sales boost, indicating a positive trend in the market.

On the heels of Apple having its best Q3 smartphone sales ever, Google has also set a record for smartphone sales in Q3 of 2024. Analysts in a report by Counterpoint Research state Google “recorded their highest ever quarterly volumes.”

The record smartphone sales by Google come after the launch of the Pixel 9 series in August. Google released four new pixel smartphones: the Pixel 9, the Pixel 9 Pro, the Pixel 9 Pro XL, and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

While Counterpoint Research didn’t share any specific numbers regarding Google’s sales, it’s clear the launch of the Pixel 9 series had an impact on Google’s smartphones sales volume.

Google Pixel 9

Pixel 9 features a 6.3-inch display and a familiar design. It supports the addition of a 48-megapixel ultrawide lens to its rear camera array alongside Google Gemini and AI features.

Display: 6.3-inch 120HZ OLED, 1080 x 2424 pixel resolution, HDR10+
Storage: 128GB, 256GB
Battery: Up to 24 hours
Operating System: Android 14
Front camera: f/2.2 10.5-megapixel
Rear camera: f/1.68 50-megapixel Wide,50-megapixel wide, f/1.7 48-megapixel Ultra-wide
Dimensions: 6.0 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches

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Google’s Pixel series is seeing growth

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Not only did the Pixel 9 series launch in August, but Google also released the mid-range Pixel 8aback in May, just before the start of Q3. Our Pixel 9 review at Pocket-lint noted that the phone is “the best entry-level smartphone the tech giant has ever released.” The Pixel 9 Pro XL also received praise in our review for its camera being a “photography powerhouse.”

According to 9to5Google, Google shipped a “milestone” of 10 million Pixel phones in 2023. Google has seen more than a “fivefold spike” in the Japanese market, as well as growth in its North American market share, despite strong competition from Apple and Samsung in recent years.

It’s not just Google seeing record smartphone sales either. Apple is also seeing a boost in sales thanks to its iPhone 16 lineup, and its older iPhones. The report by Counterpoint Research also states that global smartphone sales “rose 2% YoY in Q3 2024, the first YoY growth in Q3 since Q3 2018.”

The report shows the smartphone sales market remains on track to grow in 2024, and that Latin America, Western Europe, and Japan “showed the fastest growth.”

With Google seeing record sales numbers in Q3 2024, it’s likely hoping to maintain sales growth during the busy holiday season in Q4 and into next year.