Apple Pulls Ahead in 2025 Shipments as Samsung Battles on Price, Foldables

The smartphone market in 2025 has seen a pivotal shift: Apple has reclaimed the top spot in full-year shipments, edging out Samsung. According to Counterpoint Research, Apple achieved 20% global market share in 2025—its highest among brands—with a 10% year-over-year increase in shipments, while Samsung posted ~19% share and ~5% growth. Meanwhile IDC data confirms that Apple shipped approximately 247.8 million units versus Samsung’s 241.2 million, claiming 19.7% and 19.1% market shares respectively.

This shift is underpinned by Apple’s strong performance with its premium offerings—especially the iPhone 17 series—and its success in markets like China, Japan, India, and Southeast Asia. Apple has better leveraged high ASP devices and the ongoing post-COVID upgrade cycle. Samsung remains aggressive, both in its premium lines (S25, Z Fold/Flip 7) and its value segments (Galaxy A), but the margin and demand dynamics favor Apple in the current climate.

Nevertheless, Samsung continues to dominate in certain quarters. For instance, in Q1 2025 Samsung shipped 60.5 million units (20% share), slightly ahead of Apple’s 55 million (19%) per Canalys. Its strength in foldables and value/premium hybrids provides competitive advantages in locations sensitive to price and features. But product supply constraints—especially for memory components—and macroeconomic headwinds are stressing industry dynamics.

Strategically, several key implications emerge. First, product mix and higher ASPs are becoming central—volume alone is insufficient unless profitability is preserved. Apple’s success in premium tiers gives it stronger margin leverage. Second, emerging markets are increasingly decisive, both as sources of volume and growth—but also where price sensitivity pressures margins. Third, supply chain flexibility and production localization (e.g., Apple’s moves to India) are rising in importance given tariff risks, component shortages, and geopolitical complexity. Fourth, innovation in form factors (e.g., foldables, AI-features) may shift competitive advantage if executed well; Samsung seems better positioned in this respect currently, but only if scale, quality, and ecosystem integrations follow.

Open questions remain: Can Samsung defend its position both in premium and value tiers without compromising ASPs? Will Apple successfully enter foldables or aggressively lower price points to capture more value segments? How will region-specific regulatory, tariff, and subsidy regimes affect each company’s ability to scale profitably? And finally, how sustainable is the projected market growth when economic cycles, component shortages, and competition intensify?