Apple Poised to Overtake Samsung as World's Top Smartphone Maker in 2025 [Report]

Apple is on track to overtake Samsung as the world's largest smartphone manufacturer by volume in 2025, a title it hasn't held in fourteen years. New data from Counterpoint Research projects that Apple will capture 19.4 percent of the global market, edging out Samsung's 18.7 percent share.

The shift is being driven by strong demand for the iPhone 17 lineup. Counterpoint's data shows that sales of the new series in the U.S. during the first four weeks of availability were 12 percent higher than the iPhone 16. In China, sales jumped 18 percent, echoing recent reports of a surge in the region. The firm credits a replacement cycle reaching its inflection point, as users who bought devices during the pandemic boom are now upgrading.

Looking ahead, the research firm expects Apple to expand its portfolio to maintain this lead through the end of the decade. The roadmap includes the iPhone 17e in the first half of 2026, a device rumored to finally adopt the Dynamic Island and A19 chip. That would set the stage for Apple's first foldable iPhone late next year, followed by a flip-style model in late 2027.


Even the delay of advanced Apple Intelligence features and a revamped Siri until 2026 hasn't slowed momentum. Counterpoint notes the wait hasn't hurt sales; rather, the eventual arrival of those features will likely spark another round of upgrades. The firm also forecasts a major design overhaul in 2027 to mark the iPhone's 20th anniversary, a milestone rumored to bring a brand new form factor.

Samsung is still projected to grow shipments by about 5 percent next year, but it faces increasing pressure in the lower-end market from Chinese manufacturers. Apple, conversely, benefits from a resilient supply chain and a growing preference for the iOS ecosystem in emerging markets.

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