In June 2025, Counterpoint Research published its report on global smartphone sales for the second quarter. He highlighted a clear rebound for Apple, mainly due to the good results recorded in China, the United States and Japan, where the iPhone 16e had performed particularly well. The firm is now continuing its usual monitoring with a new ranking for the following quarter.
The new report, which concerns the third quarter of 2025, has just been released. It is based on actual sales data recorded between July and September, which therefore includes the launch of the iPhone 17.
Five iPhones among the ten best-selling models
This time again, Counterpoint notes that Apple largely dominates the top of the table, with the iPhone 16 taking first place for the third consecutive quarter, with an estimated market share of 4%. Just behind us we find the Pro and Pro Max versions of this model, then the iPhone 16e. Apple’s latest device to enter the top 10 is the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which comes in tenth place despite a late launch in September.
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© Counterpoint Research
To explain this stability, the firm cites several specific factors. He states in particular that “thanks to a peak in sales in India linked to festive promotions, and a sustained recovery in Japan, the iPhone 16 was able to contain the usual decline observed when a new generation is released”. High-end models, on the other hand, are experiencing a sharper decline in markets such as the United States, the United Kingdom and China, where consumers switched more quickly to the iPhone 17.
Weakened competition in several segments
Apart from Apple, only Samsung manages to place several devices in the ranking, including the Galaxy A16 5G, best Android representative of this quarter. The rest of the Korean giant’s “A” range unsurprisingly occupies the intermediate positions. Xiaomi, which managed to enter the top 10 in 2024 with its Redmi 13C, completely disappears this year from this new table.
By: Keleops AG
