Apple to beat Samsung as world’s largest smartphone maker for first time in 14 years

Apple’s smartphone shipments are expected to climb 10% this year, giving the company a 19.4% share of the global market and placing it ahead of Samsung, research firm Counterpoint Research forecast, as cited by Bloomberg.

The South Korean brand's shipments, meanwhile, are also set to grow but at a slower 4.6% for the year.

While Apple has taken the lead in revenue, it has not overtaken Samsung in shipments for over a decade, according to the Korean JoongAng Daily.

Counterpoint attributed Apple’s improved outlook partly to the strong launch of the iPhone 17 line in September, which has been well received in both the U.S. and China, a critical market.

Easing tensions between the U.S. and China, along with a softer U.S. dollar, have also bolstered Apple’s sales in emerging markets, it added.

The market is also hitting a pivotal point in the replacement cycle, according to Counterpoint analyst Yang Wang.

Many consumers who bought phones during the pandemic boom are now due for an upgrade, Wang explained.

He added that the roughly 358 million secondhand iPhones sold between 2023 and the second quarter of 2025 represent another pool of users likely to switch to newer models in the coming years.

Counterpoint expects Apple to stay at the top through 2029, helped by upcoming additions to its lineup, including a foldable iPhone and a more affordable iPhone 17e slated for 2026.

As of the third quarter of this year, Samsung is still in the lead with a 19% share of the global smartphone market, as reported by Counterpoint in its quarterly report.

Its shipments rose 6.6% year-on-year, supported by robust flagship growth of its Z and S series across regions.

Apple saw a 9% increase in global shipments, taking an 18% market share and boasting the fastest growth among the top five brands. The company posted particularly strong growth in India, Japan, Western Europe and Southeast Asia.

Xiaomi, vivo and OPPO rounded out the top five with market shares of 14%, 9% and 8%, respectively.