Apple’s iPhone 16 was the world’s best-selling smartphone in 2025, according to the latest annual market analysis from Counterpoint Research. The report shows Apple and Samsung continuing to dominate global smartphone sales, collectively accounting for 19 percent of all devices sold across the top ten models. This marks the fourth consecutive year in which the two companies have filled every position on the list.
Apple secured seven of the ten best-selling smartphones worldwide, reinforcing its strong hold on the premium and upper-mid segments. Samsung claimed the remaining three spots, maintaining its presence across both flagship and volume-driven categories. The concentration of sales among a small number of models reflects an increasingly polarized market, where brand familiarity, ecosystem lock-in, and incremental hardware upgrades continue to influence purchasing decisions.
Although the iPhone 16 led overall sales for the year, Counterpoint also highlighted strong momentum from Apple’s newer lineup. The iPhone 17 series, introduced in September, recorded 16 percent higher sales than its predecessor during its first full quarter on the market. Demand was particularly strong in the United States, China, and Western Europe. The base iPhone 17 model emerged as the strongest performer in the lineup, climbing higher in the rankings than the iPhone 16 did during its launch year.
According to Counterpoint, that growth was driven less by design changes and more by practical specification upgrades. The iPhone 17 moved to a 120Hz display from the previous 60Hz panel and doubled base storage to 256GB. These changes appear to have resonated with buyers who were previously hesitant to upgrade from older models.
Apple also benefited from the introduction of the iPhone 16e in spring 2025. Priced at $599, the device offered a lower-cost entry point into Apple’s ecosystem and helped broaden the company’s reach in more price-sensitive segments without dramatically undercutting its premium positioning.
On the Android side, Samsung’s Galaxy A16 5G ranked fifth overall, making it the best-selling Android smartphone of 2025. The model’s performance underscores the continued importance of affordable 5G devices in emerging and cost-conscious markets. Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra also returned to the top ten, placing ninth and posting particularly strong year-over-year growth in Japan, where sales more than tripled compared to the previous year.
Looking ahead, Counterpoint expects premium smartphones to account for a larger share of total sales in 2026. Rising memory and component costs are likely to put greater pressure on entry-level and mid-range devices, potentially narrowing consumer choice at the lower end of the market.
Apple continues to sell the iPhone 16 as part of its current lineup, with pricing starting at $699. The model includes an A18 chip compatible with Apple Intelligence features, a dual-camera system, a dedicated camera control button, and a customizable Action button, positioning it as a previous-generation option that still meets current performance expectations.
