Apple seems to have closed out 2025 on a strong note, at least going by the latest data from Counterpoint Research. In the fourth quarter, iPhones accounted for five of the top ten best-selling smartphones globally, which is a fairly solid presence considering how competitive the market has been.
At the top of the list is the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which reportedly held about 5% of total smartphone sales on its own. The regular iPhone 17 comes in second, followed by the iPhone 17 Pro in third. That kind of lineup dominance isn’t entirely surprising for Apple, though, especially in markets like the US and parts of Europe, where the ecosystem tends to play a big role.
Apple also has a couple of older models still holding on. The iPhone 16 sits in fourth place, while the iPhone 16e shows up further down in eighth. Interestingly, the iPhone Air doesn’t appear in the rankings.
Samsung takes four spots overall, mostly through its mid-range lineup. The Galaxy A56, A36, and A07 are placed fifth, sixth, and seventh, while the Galaxy S25 just makes it into tenth. Xiaomi appears once with the REDMI A5 in ninth, which is pretty much in line with what we have seen in recent years.
Taken together, these top ten models account for around 23% of global smartphone sales in the quarter, which gives some idea of how concentrated the market is at the top.
If you zoom out a bit, Apple’s position wasn’t just limited to this quarter. Its devices showed up consistently throughout 2025, with the iPhone 16 being the only one to stay in the top ten across all four quarters. Samsung and Xiaomi, meanwhile, moved around a bit more.
As for what’s driving this, it’s probably a mix of things. The iPhone 17 series had a strong start, and the base model in particular seems to have helped, thanks to upgrades like a higher refresh rate and more RAM.
Overall, Apple still seems to be holding its ground at the higher end of the market. Android brands are pushing hard in the mid-range and budget space, but when it comes to the top spots, iPhones are still showing up more often than not.
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