Apple beat Samsung to be the top phone seller in the world, and here’s why

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TL;DR

• Apple finished 2025 as the world’s top smartphone brand in terms of units shipped, extending its lead over Samsung thanks to faster year-on-year growth.
• Apple’s advantage stemmed from premium demand, a delayed upgrade cycle, and strong sales across multiple iPhone generations.
• Google and Nothing both posted strong growth, but 2026 could be tougher as rising component costs hit the broader Android market.

Apple and Samsung have spent years trading blows at the top of the global smartphone market, often separated by slim margins and the timing of big launches. In 2025, though, Apple didn’t just come out ahead — it managed to widen the gap.

According to figures from Counterpoint Research, global smartphone shipments grew 2% year-on-year in 2025, marking the second straight year of growth. Apple finished the year with a 20% share of global shipments and 10% YoY growth, while Samsung followed with a 19% share and 5% growth. The result was a clearer lead for Apple than in 2024.




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