Apple’s iPhone 16 has been the most requested smartphone in the world, and Apple has seen strong sales for the iPhone 16 phone throughout the world based on data released by Counterpoint Research. The Counterpoint Research Quarter 3 2025 report indicates that the iPhone 16 continues to dominate as the number one smartphone in the world for sales volume share with a total of 4% of total global smartphone sales. There are five Apple smartphones and five Samsung smartphones that made the Top 10 Global Smartphone Ranking List.
In three quarters of Q3 2025, the Apple iPhone 16 retained the number one position. The iPhone 16’s position was fortified by strong festive season sales in India. Conversely, the anticipated new iPhone 17 lineup was anticipated to negatively impact the sales of the iPhone 16; however, this did not happen and the iPhone 16 remains a top seller. The iPhone 16 continues to lead in sales at number one, while the iPhone 16 Pro ranked second in this period but saw slight declines in sales due to customers waiting for the iPhone 17. Thus, customers did not buy the Pro model.
The top five positions in the smartphone rankings are all held by smartphones with 5G connectivity. This is a significant development for the smartphone industry, as all of the Top 10 bestsellers support the 5G standard. In addition, the Android Marketplace had a strong presence of Samsung products, with the Galaxy A16 5G being the top Android smartphone in sales. Each of the five Samsung devices were from the Galaxy A series of smartphones.
The list of rankings is clear, with Apple as the leader for top smartphones. The iPhone 16 has the number one spot, while the iPhone 16 Pro is in second position. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is in third. The cheaper version iPhone 16e model secured fourth place, and the Galaxy A16 5G was in fifth place.
Subsequent rankings for Samsung include four smartphones starting with the Galaxy A06 in sixth place. Then came Samsung’s Galaxy A36 in seventh, followed by the Galaxy A56 in eighth, with the Galaxy A16 4G coming in ninth.
Apple claimed the number 10 position with the iPhone 17 Pro Max to end the list of the 10 most sold smartphones, signalling that Apple’s premium customers continue to purchase new models.
Apple continues its dominance of the smartphones sold to consumers. The popularity of the new iPhone 16 series clearly demonstrates that this smartphone can be marketed to a diverse audience of consumers. Samsung dominates the entry-level Android smartphone market and completely controls that segment of the market.
The overall trend in the smartphone market has been toward the adoption of 5G technology, with almost all of the top-selling smartphones now featuring the 5G technology built into the smartphones. Festive seasons significantly boost smartphone sales. India remains a critical growth market globally. The competition between Apple and Samsung stays intense.
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