Apple dominated the global smartphone sales chart in Q3 2025, but it was not the newly released iPhone 17 models leading the pack. According to Counterpoint Research, the iPhone 16 was the world’s best-selling phone from July to September, capturing a 4% share of all shipments during the period.
Apple iPhone 16
| 128GB 8GB RAM | $514.42 | €649.99 |
| 256GB 8GB RAM | $583.92 | €729.99 |
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The iPhone 16 saw robust sales in India, driven by festive promotions, and also experienced a resurgence in Japan.
Beyond the standard iPhone 16, Apple’s lineup including the iPhone 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max, and iPhone 16e secured the second, third, and fourth spots on the best-selling smartphone list. This closely mirrors last year’s trend when the iPhone 15, 15 Pro, and 15 Pro Max claimed the top three positions.
Share of Global Top 10 Best-selling Smartphones, Q3 2025 vs Q3 2024 (Counterpoint Global Monthly Handset Model Sales Tracker)
Samsung was the only other brand to feature multiple devices in the top ten, with its entry-level Galaxy A16 5G and Galaxy A06 ranking fifth and sixth respectively. Following these were the midrange Galaxy A36 and Galaxy A56 models, which occupied the seventh and eighth positions.
Samsung Galaxy A16 5G
| 128GB 4GB RAM | $199.99 | $219.95 |
| 128GB 6GB RAM | $169.89 | |
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Samsung Galaxy A06
| 64GB 4GB RAM | $104.70 | €79.00 |
| 128GB 4GB RAM | $114.00 | €95.99 |
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The Galaxy A16 also secured the ninth position, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max completed the top-ten list despite its limited availability, having launched late in September.
