Apple will lead the smartphone market in 2025: One in four active phones will be an iPhone.
A 2025 report by Counterpoint Research shows that Apple and Samsung account for 44% of global active devices, confirming the strength of their sustainable ecosystem.
2025 continues to mark Apple's dominance in the global smartphone market. According to the latest report from Counterpoint Research, the company not only leads in sales but also possesses the largest installed base in the world.
The power of the ecosystem and user loyalty.
Based on data from Smartphone Installed Base Tracker, one in four active smartphones worldwide is an iPhone. This metric reflects Apple's customer retention, loyalty to its ecosystem, and long product lifecycle. It's considered a crucial measure of real-world brand strength, rather than relying solely on short-term sales figures.
The club of brands that own billions of devices.
Apple and Samsung are currently the only two brands in the "billion-device club." Together, these two companies are expected to account for 44% of all smartphones in use globally by 2025. Both are highly regarded for their ability to build robust ecosystems and maintain long-term user loyalty.
Notably, analysts point out that the number of new smartphones Apple will add to the market in 2025 will be greater than the combined total of the next seven leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
The rise of Chinese manufacturers
Xiaomi currently ranks third in terms of active users, followed by OPPO and vivo. These brands are employing a strategy of offering diverse products across all price segments, while also focusing on building their own ecosystems to increase customer engagement.
Transsion Group (owner of Tecno, itel, and Infinix brands) ranked sixth thanks to strong growth in the Middle East, Africa (MEA), and Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, Huawei and HONOR were in the top eight, with HONOR officially surpassing 200 million active devices.
In the chasing pack, Motorola and realme are also nearing the 200 million active user milestone. The smartphone market in 2025 shows a shift from a specifications race to a battle over maintaining long-term user engagement through a service ecosystem.
