iPhone 16 is best-selling smartphone of 2025 as Galaxy S25 Ultra makes top 10

The Apple iPhone 16 was by far the highest-selling smartphone of 2025. (Image source: Bram Van Oost)

The list of best-selling smartphones worldwide continues to be dominated by Apple. According to data compiled by Counterpoint Research, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra was the most popular non-Apple flagship phone, whilst the Galaxy A series also proved a hit among consumers.

Hannes Brecher (translated by Zhiwei Zhuang), Published 01/29/2026 🇩🇪

Smartphone

Apple offers relatively few smartphone models compared with other manufacturers. This, combined with the company’s consistently high market share, has resulted in iPhones becoming the best-selling smartphones worldwide in 2025. According to data from Counterpoint Research, the Apple iPhone 16 was by far the most popular smartphone last year, followed by the iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 16 Pro.

Although the iPhone 17 series didn’t debut until late September, the iPhone 17 Pro Max still managed to take fourth place. And despite placing “only” seventh, the iPhone 17 recorded the strongest growth in the entire iPhone lineup – suggesting that Apple’s decision to equip a base model with a 120Hz OLED screen for the first time has paid off. The entry-level iPhone 15 and iPhone 16e ranked eighth and tenth, respectively. The iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone Air unsurprisingly failed to enter the top ten. Even so, Apple still occupies seven of the top ten spots.

The world’s most popular Android phone in 2025 is the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G (around $184 on Amazon), which came in fifth, one position above the even more budget-oriented Galaxy A06 4G. In ninth place, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is the only Android flagship to make the top ten. The top-tier model saw particularly strong growth in Japan, selling three times as many units as its predecessor. Overall, the models in this top-ten list alone account for 19% of the global smartphone market.

Source(s)

Counterpoint Research | Bram Van Oost (teaser image)

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Editor of the original article: Hannes Brecher - Senior Tech Writer - 19783 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2018

Since 2009 I have written for different publications with a focus on consumer electronics. I joined the Notebookcheck news team in 2018 and have combined my many years of experience with laptops and smartphones with my lifelong passion for technology to create informative content for our readers about new developments in this sphere. In addition, my design background as an art director at an ad agency has allowed me to have deeper insights into the peculiarities of this industry.

contact me via: @HannesBrecher, LinkedIn, Xing

Translator: Zhiwei Zhuang - Translator - 557 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2022

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering, I moved from Singapore to Cologne in 2014 and began pursuing a career as a freelance translator. Much of my translation work focuses on science, engineering and technology. My fascination with computers and mobile electronics began when I was young. And I have fond memories reading countless tech and gaming magazines. Working with Notebookcheck gives me the opportunity to incorporate my personal interests into my professional work.

> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2026 01 > iPhone 16 is best-selling smartphone of 2025 as Galaxy S25 Ultra makes top 10

Hannes Brecher, 2026-01-29 (Update: 2026-01-29)

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