Apple Beats Samsung in Highest Smartphone Sales

For more than a decade, Samsung was the king of smartphone sales. Then in 2023, Apple finally took the crown. Since that headline, the battle between the two giants has stayed tight, and the numbers keep changing. In this updated guide, we break down who sold the most smartphones each year, why it happened, and what it means for buyers in Pakistan.

2023: The Year Apple Beat Samsung

According to a report by the International Data Corporation (IDC), Apple commanded a 20.1 percent market share in 2023, ending a 12-year run of Samsung Electronics as the world’s top smartphone seller. Samsung fell just short with a 19.4 percent share, followed by Chinese brands Xiaomi, Oppo and Transsion, according to preliminary data from IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.

Rank	Brand	2023 shipments	Market share
1	Apple	234.6 million	20.1%
2	Samsung	226.6 million	19.4%
3	Xiaomi	145.9 million	12.5%
4	Oppo	103.1 million	8.8%
5	Transsion	94.9 million	8.1%

Apple and Transsion, which sells the Tecno, Infinix and itel brands, were the only two of the top five vendors to grow that year, even though the overall market declined 3.2 percent to 1.17 billion units, a decade low. Apple grew 3.7 percent, while Samsung’s shipments fell 13.6 percent.

“While we saw some strong growth from low-end Android players like Transsion and Xiaomi in the second half of 2023, stemming from rapid growth in emerging markets, the biggest winner is Apple,” said Nabila Popal, research director at IDC’s Worldwide Tracker team.

Why the ranking changed

The shift came as a result of inflation, economic uncertainty and global instability. Many consumers held on to their old phones or chose cheaper handsets instead of upgrading. China, the world’s biggest smartphone market, also saw slow sales. Apple’s loyal premium buyers kept spending, while Samsung’s large range of budget and mid-range phones felt the pressure more.

2024: Apple Holds the Top Spot

The market bounced back in 2024. IDC reported that global shipments grew 6.4 percent to about 1.24 billion units. Apple stayed at number one with 232.1 million iPhones shipped, while Samsung was second with 223.4 million. Both giants actually shipped slightly fewer phones than in 2023, as Chinese brands grew aggressively. Xiaomi was third with 168.5 million units and the fastest growth among the top five, while Transsion and Oppo were tied for fourth place.

2025: Apple Wins Again, Samsung Close Behind

In 2025, Apple made it three years in a row. IDC data shows the global market grew 1.9 percent to 1.26 billion units:

Rank	Brand	2025 shipments	Market share
1	Apple	247.8 million	19.7%
2	Samsung	241.2 million	19.1%
3	Xiaomi	165.3 million	13.1%
4	vivo	103.9 million	8.2%
5	Oppo	102.0 million	8.1%

Counterpoint Research reported a similar picture, giving Apple about 20 percent of the market and Samsung 19 percent. The big driver was the iPhone 17 series. In the October to December 2025 quarter alone, Apple shipped 81.3 million iPhones, a 24.2 percent share, while Samsung shipped 61.2 million.

2026: Samsung Fights Back

2026 has been a tough year for the smartphone industry. Memory chip prices have shot up because chipmakers are prioritising AI data centres. IDC says memory costs are up nearly 300 percent from a year earlier, which hurts cheap phones the most.

In Q2 2026 (April to June), total shipments fell 6.7 percent to 277.5 million units. Samsung took the top spot for the quarter with 62.7 million phones (22.6 percent share), while Apple was second with 55.8 million (20.1 percent), up 15.3 percent from a year earlier. Xiaomi, Oppo and vivo all saw big drops. Remember, Samsung usually does well in the first half of the year thanks to its Galaxy S launches, while Apple’s new iPhones boost its numbers at the end of the year. IDC has said Apple is on track for a record 22 percent annual share in 2026, so the full-year winner will only be clear in January 2027.

What It Means for Pakistan

In Pakistan, the picture is very different from the global chart. Most people here buy affordable Android phones from brands like Samsung, Infinix, Tecno, Xiaomi, vivo and Oppo, because iPhones are expensive after taxes. The new iPhones launched locally in October 2025 with PTA-approved prices starting from about Rs 399,000 for the iPhone 17 (256GB) and going up to around Rs 898,500 for the top iPhone 17 Pro Max (2TB).

If you buy an iPhone from abroad or a non-PTA unit, you also have to pay a PTA/DIRBS registration tax to use it on Pakistani networks, which can add well over a lakh rupees. Always check the latest tax on the PTA DIRBS system before buying. Rising memory costs in 2026 also mean budget and mid-range phone prices could stay high, so it is a good time to compare carefully before upgrading.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who sold more smartphones in 2023, Apple or Samsung?

Apple. According to IDC, Apple shipped 234.6 million iPhones in 2023 for a 20.1% share, while Samsung shipped 226.6 million for 19.4%. It ended Samsung’s 12-year run as the world’s top smartphone seller.

Is Apple still the number one smartphone seller?

Apple was number one for the full years 2023, 2024 and 2025. In Q2 2026, Samsung led for the quarter with a 22.6% share against Apple’s 20.1%, so the 2026 full-year winner is not yet known.

Why did Samsung lose the top spot?

Inflation and economic uncertainty pushed many buyers to delay upgrades or buy cheaper phones. Samsung’s budget and mid-range models faced strong competition from Chinese brands, while Apple’s premium buyers kept spending.

How much does an iPhone 17 cost in Pakistan?

At its local launch in October 2025, the PTA-approved iPhone 17 (256GB) was priced at about Rs 399,000, with the iPhone 17 Pro Max going up to about Rs 898,500 for 2TB. Prices can change with the exchange rate and taxes.