Apple overtakes Samsung as World’s top smartphone brand in 2025

The rise in iPhone 15 sales and the rising global demand in the first Quarter of 2025 have made Apple overtake Samsung to become the World’s top smartphone brand, according to preliminary figures from Counterpoint Research.

This is a major setback for the Korean tech giant as it had a lead in previous quarters over Apple.

The global smartphone market increased by 3% Year over year. Latin America, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East region across the world helped Apple to regain its lost position due to better economic growth and easy access to the tech phone in these particular regions.

The premium features of Apple and its tight integration of its ecosystem have helped in the increase of sales of phones globally, with a massive hike from China, where its temporary subsidy tempted the people to buy the iPhones.

Though Samsung’s Galaxy S24 series fared admirably, it was unable to overcome Apple’s momentum. As the smartphone industry shifts, more precise data is likely to indicate whether Apple can maintain its advantage in the following quarters.

Counterpoint’s analysis mirrors a wider trend in the smartphone sector: although the general industry is still recovering from the pandemic and the chip problem, significant shifts in regional demand and brand loyalty are reshaping the competitive environment.