Apple Edges Samsung To Become World’s No. 1 Smartphone Brand — Here’s How

Apple and Samsung’s long-running battle has taken a new twist. New data from Counterpoint Research shows that Apple has become the world’s number-one smartphone brand for the first quarter of 2025.

Here’s how Apple beat Samsung.

Both of these tech giants got off to a roaring start. Apple dropped the iPhone 16e, while Samsung rolled out the Galaxy S25 series. But as the weeks went by, things turned out differently. Samsung experienced some slowdowns and delays, while Apple was steady. In markets where Apple didn't usually sell a lot of iPhones, the iPhone 16e performed especially well. The unexpected boost put Apple on top globally.

However, Samsung didn’t fall too far behind either. It grabbed 18% of the market. The S25 series suffered a slow start as it arrived slightly late. However, when the “Ultra” models hit the shelves, Samsung’s numbers started to perform much better, especially in March.

Other brands are also catching on. Especially in newer markets, Xiaomi is growing very fast. OPPO held firm in the top five as Vivo cracked the top four with strong sales in India and Latin America.

Huawei, HONOUR and Motorola are also rising quietly. Not only that, during this quarter, Huawei even took the number one spot in China.

This quarter, the smartphone market grew just 3% globally. Much of the rise came from developing regions, including China, Latin America, and the Middle East. Mature markets like North America and Europe moved a bit slower at the same time.

So is Apple better than Samsung? That’s still up for debate. For now, the numbers confirm it—Apple is leading the race. This competition is not over, especially as new tech such as foldables and AI heats up.