Rising on the success of the iPhone 17 series, tech giant Apple overtook Samsung to become the number 1 global smartphone brand in 2025. The top five brands also included Xiaomi, Vivo and OPPO. The report by Counterpoint Research highlighted that Apple captured a 20 percent year-over-year (YoY) market share, marking its first time at the top position in annual global smartphone rankings.
As per the market research firm's report, the market continued to grow in 2025, supported by rising demand for premium smartphones, easy financing options, and wider adoption of 5G devices. Global smartphone shipments grew for the second consecutive year, registering 2 percent YoY growth.
"The global smartphone market is set to soften in 2026 amid DRAM/NAND shortages and rising component costs, as chipmakers prioritise AI data centers over smartphones," said Tarun Pathak, Research Director, Counterpoint Research, in a statement.
"Though the supply crunch will weigh on shipments, Apple and Samsung are likely to remain resilient, supported by stronger supply chain capabilities and premium market positioning, whereas Chinese OEMs concentrated in lower-price segments will face greater pressure," Pathak added.
Notably, Apple ranked number one due to the strong traction of the iPhone 17 series, which was launched in September last year. Meanwhile, the iPhone 16 continued to perform well across markets such as India, Japan, and Southeast Asia.
On the other hand, Samsung took the second spot with 19 percent market share. The company's growth was led by the Galaxy A series, supported by strong mid-range demand, while the Galaxy Fold 7 and Galaxy S25 series boosted performance in the premium segment, outperforming their predecessors.
The third spot was retained by Xiaomi with 13 percent market share, and the brand's performance was supported by growing demand in emerging markets with a balanced mix of premium and mid-range phones.
The fourth spot was taken by Vivo with 3 percent, while OPPO slipped to fifth place after recording a 4 percent year-on-year decline due to weak demand and intense competition in the home country and the Asia-Pacific region.
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