Market researchers: iPhone 16 is the world's best-selling smartphone in 2025

There are hardly any surprises in the top 10 best-selling smartphones worldwide for 2025: for the fourth year in a row, the two industry giants Apple and Samsung share the list. Apple, in particular, has reason to celebrate, as iPhones are represented in seven of the ten spots on the ranking, which the analysis company Counterpoint Research compiled for 2025. The list is based on the "Global Monthly Handset Model Sales Tracker" that Counterpoint creates every month. The 10 models accounted for 19 percent of total smartphone sales in 2025.

iPhone 16 at the top

According to the data from Counterpoint, Apple's iPhone 16 was the world's best-selling smartphone in 2025. In second, third, and fourth place are also Apple smartphones: the iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 16 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max, all of which are high-priced, high-end devices. These show the long-standing trend of premiumization of the smartphone market, which continues in Germany according to data from NIQ.

Interestingly, Samsung's best-selling devices, which made it to fifth and sixth place, look completely different: the Galaxy A16 5G and the Galaxy A06 4G are positioned in the affordable entry-level class between 100 and 150 Euros – a model category in which Apple is not represented. According to Counterpoint, an earlier-than-expected launch of its successor Galaxy A17 5G led to slightly lower sales figures for the A16 5G.

In the following places are again Apple devices with the iPhone 17 and iPhone 15, followed by Samsung's absolute top model Galaxy S25 Ultra, which was introduced in early 2025. In tenth place in the Counterpoint ranking is the iPhone 16e, which, at just under 550 Euros and with a simple main camera, is the cheapest model in Apple's portfolio.

iPhone 17 "outstanding product this year"

According to Counterpoint, Samsung's Galaxy S series has made it into the top list for the second time in a row, "reflecting the brand's continued focus on its flagship product line." The Galaxy S25 Ultra improved its regional market share, according to the market researchers. It grew more than threefold in Japan compared to the previous year and achieved double-digit growth in India.

According to Harshit Rastogi, Research Analyst at Counterpoint Research, the iPhone 17 series achieved 16 percent higher sales in the first full quarter after its market launch in September 2025 compared to the previous series. This is attributed to strong initial demand in key markets such as the USA, China, and Western Europe. Rastogi further stated that the base model of the iPhone 17 is "the outstanding product this year." It features "significant improvements such as a higher refresh rate, more RAM, and larger base storage, bringing it closer to the Pro variants than ever before."

Market researchers predict that in 2026, the memory crisis will "significantly impact entry-level to mid-range smartphones, whose sales remain heavily concentrated in emerging markets such as the Middle East and Africa (MEA) and Latin America." As a result, Counterpoint expects that the top models "will further expand their presence and revenue contribution to the overall market."

Empfohlener redaktioneller Inhalt

Mit Ihrer Zustimmung wird hier ein externer Preisvergleich (heise Preisvergleich) geladen.

Preisvergleiche immer laden Preisvergleich jetzt laden

Ich bin damit einverstanden, dass mir externe Inhalte angezeigt werden. Damit können personenbezogene Daten an Drittplattformen (heise Preisvergleich) übermittelt werden. Mehr dazu in unserer Datenschutzerklärung.

(afl)