Select Language:
After being closely matched for the past two years, Apple’s iPhone now surpasses Samsung in global market share as of the end of last year, according to recent market analysis. Notably, Apple experienced the strongest annual growth among smartphone manufacturers, which went beyond the popularity of the iPhone 17 series.
In 2023, both Apple and Samsung each held a 19% share of the worldwide smartphone market, as reported by Counterpoint. By 2024, the market share of both brands dipped slightly to 18%, affected by increased competition from Chinese manufacturers. However, by the close of 2025, Apple had regained the lead with a 20% share, outpacing Samsung’s 18%. During this period, Apple’s shipment growth rate doubled that of Samsung, reaching 10% year-over-year.
Senior analyst Varun Mishra pointed out, “Apple’s success in 2025 was driven by its expanding footprint and increasing demand in emerging and mid-sized markets, supported by a more diverse product lineup.” While the launch of the iPhone 17 played a significant role, the previous generation, iPhone 16, also contributed notably to Apple’s growth.
The firm highlighted that the strongest sales boost occurred in the last quarter following the release of the iPhone 17, with continued strong performance of the iPhone 16 in regions such as Japan, India, and Southeast Asia. This rise is partially attributed to the COVID-era upgrade cycle reaching a turning point, prompting many users to replace their devices.
Although rising memory costs are expected to slow down the smartphone market this year, both Apple and Samsung are well-equipped to handle these challenges. Samsung manufactures its own memory chips, while Apple leverages its market influence to secure favorable supply terms ahead of demand.
Photo Credit: MACAU PHOTOGRAPHY on Unsplash
ChatGPT
Perplexity
Gemini AI
Grok AI
