Struggle for market share: Market researchers: Apple knocks Samsung off the smartphone throne

According to market researchers’ calculations, Apple will displace Samsung from the top position in smartphone sales this year. The US company will sell about ten percent more iPhones this year, while longtime market leader South Korea will see an increase of 4.6 percent, predicts analytics firm Counterpoint.

The increase is partly due to the popularity of the iPhone 17 series introduced in September, Counterpoint expert Yang Wang told Bloomberg financial services. Many people who bought smartphones at the start of the coronavirus pandemic also switched to newer generation models.

Additionally, according to analysts, around 358 million used iPhones were sold from 2023 to mid-2025. These users are also likely to buy new iPhones in the coming years. Counterpoint assumes that Apple will be able to hold the smartphone throne until at least 2029.

Pioneer of modern smartphones

The iPhone set the direction for modern smartphones in 2007 with its touch screen and app model. Phone manufacturers with Google’s Android operating system then sold more devices, some of which also offered much cheaper phones.

Samsung has sold the most smartphones in recent years – except during the Christmas period, when the iPhone always has the upper hand. After Samsung’s first smartphone was released, Apple accused its competitors of copying the technology and design of the iPhone. The American company was able to win in court after years of litigation, but Samsung remained at the forefront for a long time.

In recent years, market researchers have noticed a trend towards more expensive smartphones – which are therefore used for longer periods of time. Apple should also benefit from this with its premium image.

The company itself has not published sales figures for some time so it has to rely on analyst calculations.