After years of competition between Apple and Samsung for mobile market leadership, 2025 has become Apple's year as it claimed the top spot in the smartphone market.
A report from Counterpoint Research revealed that by the end of 2025, Apple successfully captured the number one market share.
Looking back to 2023, both Apple andSamsungheld equal market shares of 19 percent, which then declined to 18 percent. However, the results at the end of 2025 showed a clear shift, with Apple rising to a 20 percent share and achieving a year-on-year growth of 10 percent, while Samsung held a 19 percent share.
Varun Mishra, senior analyst at Counterpoint, commented that Apple's success last year was not solely due to the iPhone 17 but also driven by strong ongoing sales of the iPhone 16 in key markets such as Japan, India, and Southeast Asia.
Additionally, the smartphone market benefited from a user upgrade cycle, as those who bought smartphones during the COVID-19 pandemic reached the point of needing new devices, leading to a significant increase in orders from this user group.
Despite the positive outlook, the smartphone market faces a new challenge in 2026 from rising memory costs, which could cause the overall market to contract.
Nevertheless, both Apple and Samsung are seen as having strong advantages in the supply chain; Samsung owns its memory production facilities, while Apple leverages its purchasing power to negotiate prices and stockpile inventory in advance, enabling both to better withstand cost pressures compared to other brands in the industry.
Source:Counterpoint Research