New Delhi: Apple’s smartphone shipments have carried out strongly all through 2025, notably in Q3, Counterpoint Analysis mentioned on Wednesday, including that the iPhone maker’s shipments will attain a world share of 19.4 per cent in 2025, making Apple the world’s prime smartphone firm for the primary time since 2011.
Samsung’s shipments are additionally anticipated to develop 4.6 per cent (year-on-year) and attain a world share of 18.7 per cent, but the corporate will relinquish the highest spot it has held for greater than a decade, the report famous.
iPhone shipments exceeded expectations in Q3 2025, posting a stable 9 p.c YoY progress for the quarter. The launch of the iPhone 17 sequence marked a shift in Apple’s common lineup, with the brand new iPhone Air changing the Plus mannequin, accompanied by changes in reminiscence configurations and pricing tiers.
In the meantime, international smartphone shipments are anticipated to develop 3.3 p.c on-year in 2025, in keeping with the report. “Past the extremely constructive market reception for the iPhone 17 sequence, the important thing driver behind the upgraded cargo outlook lies within the alternative cycle reaching its inflection level. Shoppers who bought smartphones in the course of the COVID-19 increase are actually getting into their improve section,” mentioned senior analyst Yang Wang.
Moreover, 358 million second-hand iPhones have been offered between 2023 and Q2 2025. These customers are additionally more likely to improve to a brand new iPhone within the coming years. These elements will kind a large demand base, which is anticipated to maintain iPhone cargo progress over the approaching quarters, Wang added.
Based on Counterpoint’s newest weekly sell-through tracker, gross sales of the iPhone 17 sequence within the US, together with the iPhone Air, in the course of the first 4 weeks after launch have been 12 per cent larger than these of the iPhone 16 sequence, excluding the iPhone 16e. Elsewhere, Apple additionally benefited from lower-than-expected tariff impacts globally and a truce within the US-China commerce and tech battle.
This not solely helped Apple’s provide chain and the continued efforts to diversify manufacturing bases, but in addition combination demand in its key progress areas — rising markets.
“Appreciating home currencies versus the US greenback and a resilient financial outlook boosted shopper confidence. With these structural tailwinds, Apple is well-positioned to surpass Samsung in annual shipments in 2025,” the report famous.
Samsung is anticipated to see an honest 5 per cent cargo progress in 2025, supported by a resilient provide chain that has absorbed a lot of the tariff influence, it added.