What you need to know
- Counterpoint research details the top 10 best-selling phones in Q1 2025, which shows Samsung riding in the middle of the pack.
- Leading the charge for Samsung is its recent Galaxy A16 5G device, which launched back in January before the S25 series.
- While the only premium phone for Samsung is the Galaxy S25 Ultra (seventh place), Apple's base iPhone 16 takes the top spot.
As we approach the middle of the year, analytics for the initial quarter have been reported for smartphones.
Counterpoint research indicates the world's top 10 "best-selling" phones for Q1 2025. The company's data shows that the top 10 phones in this past quarter have retained "stable" overall global sales. However, Android phones are only present for spots five through nine. Interestingly, four of the top Android phones from Q1 are budget, Samsung Galaxy A series devices.
In fifth place is the Galaxy A16 5G, followed by the Galaxy A06. According to the data, the former experienced a 17% YoY (year-over-year) growth, likely due to its North American launch on January 2. This took place a couple of weeks before Samsung's major flagship reveal, and that's where Counterpoint's research takes us next. Specifically, we're looking at the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which is the only one of Samsung's recent flagships to break the top 10 best-selling phones.
The S25 Ultra comes in at seventh place, leaving the Redmi 14C 4G and the Galaxy A55 6G to round out the bunch.
Elsewhere, Apple's iPhones take the top four spots, which sees the base iPhone 16 taking #1. It's then followed by its other 16 series siblings, the 16 Pro Max and the 16 Pro.
Regarding sales, Counterpoint highlights devices under $100, stating phones in that category became the "fastest growing" in Q1 2025.
This time last year...
Counterpoint adds the Galaxy S25 Ultra's placement in Q1 2025 is slightly lower than the fifth spot held by the S24 Ultra last year. The post attributes this change to the S25's "shorter sales window" in Q1. Despite that, Counterpoint's research shows the entire series has delivered "steady results" for Samsung in the year's initial quarter.
If we take a look back at Q1 2024, Samsung reclaimed its top spot for most shipped phones. Research indicated that the Korean OEM's performance was due to the popularity of its Galaxy A series from late 2023 into the next year. We're seeing a similar trend now, thanks to the recent Galaxy A16 5G launch at the start of 2025.
On the other hand, Counterpoint foresaw the premium smartphone market's growth in 2024 because of AI advancements and features on those phones. Currently, the company's report highlighted the Galaxy S25's inclusion of Google's Gemini, stating this "signals Samsung’s shift toward a more agentic AI experience, enhancing user productivity and personalization."
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