Apple's iPhone 16 became the globe's top-selling smartphone for the first quarter of 2025 (January to March), according to a fresh report released on Wednesday.
The success also highlights the comeback of the standard model of the iPhone series into the lead position of Q1 rankings after staying out of it for two years, as documented in Counterpoint Research's 'Global Handset Model Sales Tracker.'
Apple continued to show its leadership by capturing five spots among the top-10 smartphones for the fifth straight March quarter.
On the other hand, Samsung's count on the top-10 list declined by one model from the same period last year.
The report pointed out that although the combined market share among the top 10 smartphones did not change globally, the low-end contribution among this group from devices selling below $100 increased significantly.
iPhone 16 recorded particularly robust sales in Japan and Middle East and Africa (MEA) with Japan being the growth leader for the base model.
Improving economic conditions and revised subsidy policies were among the factors that worked in Apple's favor in terms of pricing and ecosystem strategy, further enhancing its popularity in the Japanese market.
Placing second and third on the list were iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 16 Pro, respectively.
Apple's iPhone 16e also made a strong debut, entering the global top-10 for March 2025 at sixth place, its first full month on sale.
Although it is more expensive than the SE 2022, the report foresees that the 16e will surpass its predecessor in its first year, thanks mainly to its significant technological advancements and improved features.
Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra ranked seventh in Q1 2025, down from the fifth position of the S24 Ultra in Q1 2024.
This fall is primarily due to a decreased sales period for the S25 Ultra during the quarter. However, the S25 series had strong performance, contributing to a quarter of Samsung's overall smartphone sales throughout its active sales month.
With the addition of deeper Gemini integration, the S25 series continues to demonstrate Samsung's focus on bringing a more intelligent AI experience, aimed at enhancing user productivity and customization.
Outside of Apple and Samsung, Xiaomi’s Redmi 14C 4G was the only other smartphone to make it into the global top-10, boasting a remarkable 43 percent year-over-year growth compared to the Redmi 13C 4G, according to the report.
Looking ahead, despite ongoing tariff disputes and broader uncertainties in the market, the share of the top 10 best-selling smartphone models is expected to remain relatively consistent, the report concluded.
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