Which Android brand outsources the most? It's certainly not Samsung.

Many smartphone manufacturers outsource the design of at least some phones to other companies, and a new report has revealed just how many of these phones are shipped by each brand.

Counterpoint Research reported the proportion of outsourced phones shipped by each smartphone maker in the first half of 2024. Check the graphic below for a quick rundown.

According to the tracking firm, Apple didn’t rely on outsourced designs at all, which isn’t surprising for the brand. This practice usually applies to low-end phones and Apple is almost exclusively a premium player. Meanwhile, Samsung was the top dog among Android brands as far as in-house designs were concerned. Just 22% of its shipped phones were designed by ODMs (original device manufacturers), representing a drop from 28% in 2022.

Counterpoint noted that Samsung was gradually shifting from Chinese ODMs to its own factory facilities in India. It also reported that Samsung’s share in the sub-$250 market decreased as it reduced outsourcing, while its share in the $250+ segment increased.

The OPPO group and HONOR were next in line, with 39% and 40% of their respective smartphone shipments being outsourced designs. In other words, four out of every 10 OPPO and HONOR phones shipped in this period were ODM devices.

On the other end of the spectrum, 90% of Motorola smartphone shipments in H1 2024 were outsourced smartphone designs. Xiaomi wasn’t far behind, as almost eight out of every 10 phones shipped by the Chinese brand were outsourced designs. It’s not surprising to see these two brands relying so heavily on ODM designs as they’re both major players in the budget world, and brands typically utilize outsourcing for budget devices in a bid to improve profitability.