Apple overtakes Samsung as world’s top smartphone shipper After 14-year reign

Samsung’s long-standing dominance of the global smartphone market has come to an end, as Apple reclaimed the top spot in worldwide shipments last year, according to new industry data.

The South Korean tech giant had held the crown for 14 consecutive years, leading the market by shipment volume. That streak was finally broken after Apple captured a 20% share of global smartphone shipments, narrowly surpassing Samsung’s 19%, according to full-year figures from Hong Kong-based Counterpoint Research, DW writes. 

While the margin is slim, analysts say the shift could signal a more durable turnaround for Apple, whose competitive edge in recent years had been challenged by fast-moving Chinese rivals and by consumers holding onto smartphones for longer periods.

Strategic shifts by both companies are reshaping the competitive landscape. Samsung has doubled down on the premium end of the market, while Apple has taken the unusual step of expanding into the mid-range, introducing lower-priced models aimed at attracting price-sensitive Android users.

With North America and Europe largely saturated, Counterpoint analysts see Apple’s expansion into emerging markets as a key driver of future growth. Yang Wang, a senior analyst at Counterpoint Research, said demand is rising in regions such as India, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, where affordability is critical.

“[Apple] already dominates the premium end of the market. If they want to increase shipments, they have to go lower,” Wang told DW. “If you want to go after these markets, you can’t expect everyone to afford a $1,200 iPhone 17 Pro.”

Apple’s momentum was especially evident in the fourth quarter, when shipments rose 10% year-on-year, compared with Samsung’s 5%. That period marked Apple’s strongest quarter ever, driven largely by the launch of the iPhone 17 series, which featured a major performance boost and a redesigned look, including a standout Cosmic Orange finish on Pro models.

During the quarter, Apple accounted for roughly 25% of all global smartphone shipments, according to Counterpoint, its highest share in any three-month period.

Apple also benefited unexpectedly from geopolitical uncertainty. Fears over proposed US tariffs under President Donald Trump—threatening potential price increases of 30% to 40% on China-linked supply chains—prompted a wave of early buying. At the same time, many consumers replaced devices purchased during the pandemic-era surge, when lockdowns accelerated upgrade cycles.

“We’ve been seeing record levels of holdout periods across the world, but the tide is changing now — iPhone users are starting to think it is the right time to upgrade,” Wang said.

In China, Apple gained further ground due to US sanctions on Huawei, which restricted the Chinese firm’s access to advanced chips and weakened its premium smartphone lineup. As China’s overall smartphone market contracted between 2021 and 2023, Apple emerged as the leading premium brand.

“Apple has been relatively resilient despite how the total [Chinese] market has been doing,” Bryan Ma, vice president of devices research at IDC, told DW. “They got some windfall from the fact that Huawei was absent in China and were able to pick up some of that premium position.”

Looking ahead, Apple faces intensifying competition from Chinese manufacturers and uncertainty over overall market growth. Still, analysts say future gains could hinge on innovation, including rumored foldable devices and the long-awaited rollout of Apple’s upgraded AI-powered Siri in early 2026.

By Sabina Mammadli