Uncertainty surrounding global tariffs is unlikely to shake up the top tier of best-selling smartphones, after Apple dominated in the first quarter of 2025, a study from Counterpoint Research has shown.
The iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 16 Pro were the top three best-selling smartphones, respectively, in the three months up to March 31, continuing a pattern over the past two years, the Hong Kong-based firm said in its report.
The iPhone 15 was fourth and the iPhone 16 Plus was 10th, marking a fifth straight March quarter in which Apple secured half of the spots in the top 10.
That was further complemented by the "strong start" of the budget-friendly iPhone 16e – the successor to the iPhone SE that was unveiled in February – which ranked sixth in March.
The iPhone 16 performed particularly well in the Middle East, Africa and Japan, which recorded the highest growth, owing to improving economic conditions and revised subsidy rules that favoured Apple's pricing strategy, Counterpoint said.
In China, however, the iPhone 16 Pro had to deal with challenges, including home-grown competition such as Huawei Technologies, which offer cheaper devices, and a consumer market generally favouring devices below 6,000 yuan ($833). The base iPhone 16 starts at $799.
Right behind Apple is Samsung Electronics, which occupies four spots in the top 10, three of which are mid-tier devices. That is an indication of the South Korean company's strength in this segment.
Its latest top-end flagship phone, the Galaxy S25 Ultra, came in seventh. The device, along with iPhones, are classified as premium by Counterpoint.
And despite the continuing tariff tensions and broader market uncertainty, the share of the 10 best-selling smartphones is expected to "remain relatively stable", analysts at Counterpoint said.
"This resilience is supported by OEMs [original equipment manufacturers] increasingly focusing on high-end smartphones where consumer interest is driven by premium features," they added.
Smartphones remain the most popular and important consumer electronic devices. They have become an essential tool for communication, business, education and other daily activities.
With the rise of generative artificial intelligence, phone manufacturers – particularly Apple and Samsung – are looking for ways to incorporate the latest technologies to entice a wider consumer base.
Apple's iPhone 15 was the world's top-selling smartphone in 2024, outclassing competition largely focused on capitalising on the steady rise of generative AI in mobile devices, Counterpoint reported previously.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202-litre%204-cylinder%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E153hp%20at%206%2C000rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E200Nm%20at%204%2C000rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E6-speed%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E6.3L%2F100km%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDh106%2C900%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
More from Neighbourhood Watch
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Fixtures
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWednesday%2C%20April%203%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EArsenal%20v%20Luton%20Town%2C%2010.30pm%20(UAE)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EManchester%20City%20v%20Aston%20Villa%2C%2011.15pm%20(UAE)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EThursday%2C%20April%204%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ELiverpool%20v%20Sheffield%20United%2C%2010.30pm%20(UAE)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
More on Quran memorisation:
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
More from Neighbourhood Watch
