Apple closed out 2025 on top of the smartphone world. A new sales report from Counterpoint Research says the iPhone 16 was the best-selling smartphone globally for the year, finishing ahead of every competing model in worldwide shipments.
The iPhone 16’s first-place finish highlights just how dominant Apple’s lineup was across the broader best-sellers list. Apple reportedly captured seven of the ten top-selling smartphone spots in 2025, a huge share in a market filled with dozens of major Android brands and countless device options at different price points.
Samsung was the only other company to break into the top 10, taking the remaining three positions. That split reinforces a trend that’s been consistent for years: the global best-selling smartphone models are increasingly concentrated among two giants, with Apple and Samsung continuing to lead demand at the high end and beyond.
For buyers, the results point to an ongoing preference for recognizable flagship phones that deliver long-term software support, strong camera performance, and a familiar ecosystem experience. For the industry, it signals another year where Apple’s iPhone strategy—anchored by the newest numbered model—translated into the strongest global sales performance.
