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Apple expected to top Samsung for first time in over a decade as No. 1 global smartphone shipper

Published: 26 Nov. 2025, 17:27 Updated: 27 Nov. 2025, 11:40

People gather next to an advertisement board at the Apple store in Beijing's Sanlitun area during the start of sales of the new iPhone 17 series smartphones in Beijing, China, on Sept. 19. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Apple is expected to rank No. 1 in global smartphone shipments this year, surpassing Samsung Electronics for the first time in over a decade, thanks in part to the iPhone 17 series.

Citing a report from market research firm Counterpoint, Bloomberg reported Tuesday that Apple is projected to hold a 19.4 percent share of global smartphone shipments in 2025. Apple’s shipments have grown 10 percent this year, compared to 4.6 percent for Samsung’s Galaxy series.

Apple has long led global smartphone makers in revenue, but it has trailed Samsung Electronics in shipment volume since 2011. Apple has focused on high-end premium models, while Samsung Electronics has offered a wider range of price points, including budget and midrange devices.

The latest iPhone 17 series, released in September, has performed well not only in the U.S. market but also in China and other emerging markets. Counterpoint attributed the shift in rankings to multiple factors, including easing U.S.-China tensions, a weakening dollar that boosted Apple’s price competitiveness and the timing of replacement cycles for consumers who purchased smartphones during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said in October, following a record-breaking quarterly revenue report of $102.5 billion, that demand for the iPhone 17 series has been "stronger than the company anticipated."

Analysts also predicted that Apple may shift to a biannual product release schedule starting next year, launching budget models in the first half and premium models in the second half to drive further growth.

An employee uses Apple's new iPhone 17 smartphone, which is demonstrated in a store during preparations for the series' launch of sales in Moscow, Russia, on Sept. 20. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Counterpoint analyst Yang Wang said Apple is likely to extend its lead and "the upcoming 2026 debut of a foldable iPhone and a budget-friendly iPhone 17e will both help sales."

Counterpoint expects Apple to remain the No. 1 phone seller through 2029.

Samsung Electronics, which launched the Galaxy Edge in May and plans to release a tri-fold model on Dec. 5, has been working to broaden its base with a broader range of form factors — but now faces the task of regaining its lead in global smartphone shipments.

Apple, meanwhile, is reportedly preparing for a leadership transition amid speculation that Cook may step down as CEO as early as next year. The Financial Times and other outlets reported that Apple is "stepping up its succession planning efforts."

John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, is widely seen as the leading candidate. Apple has not set a timeline for announcing a new CEO.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY PARK HAE-LEE [[email protected]]