Apple Ties Samsung as Top Smartphone Maker in 2025

[MacRumors]

Apple and Samsung produced nearly the same number of smartphones in 2025, tying for the top position in global smartphone production, according to a new report from TrendForce.

Global smartphone production reached approximately 1.254 billion units in 2025, rising 2.5% year over year. The research firm says Apple and Samsung each produced nearly 240 million smartphones during the year, tying for the top position in global production.

TrendForce says the smartphone market in the first half of 2025 benefited from China's government subsidy programs, which stimulated demand, while the second half of the year was supported by the traditional seasonal peak driven by new flagship smartphone launches.

Apple's production increased significantly toward the end of the year following the launch of the iPhone 17 lineup. TrendForce said Apple's smartphone production rose more than 50% quarter over quarter in the fourth quarter of 2025, supported by strong shipments of the company's latest iPhone models.

The report adds that the iPhone 17 series benefited from well-positioned retail pricing, which helped drive strong market performance. TrendForce suggests that if Apple adopts a more aggressive pricing strategy in 2026, it could help sustain both production and sales momentum.

Looking ahead, the broader smartphone industry is expected to face mounting cost pressures. TrendForce says surging memory prices are likely to significantly increase smartphone production costs in 2026. As a result, global smartphone output is projected to decline by at least 10% year over year to around 1.135 billion units.

According to the firm, smartphone manufacturers will face a difficult choice between raising retail prices to preserve margins or lowering device specifications to maintain shipment volumes, with the entry-level segment expected to be most affected by rising component costs.

Beyond Apple and Samsung, several other manufacturers ranked among the largest producers in 2025. Xiaomi (including Redmi and POCO) ranked third with production close to 170 million units, followed by OPPO (including OnePlus and Realme) with 143 million units.

Vivo placed fifth, while Transsion (the company behind TECNO, Infinix, and itel) ranked sixth after sharply cutting production late in the year due to inventory adjustments and demand concerns in emerging markets. Honor ranked seventh after accelerating production toward the end of 2025, while Lenovo (including Motorola) ranked eighth with roughly 61 million smartphones produced during the year.

Article Link: Apple Ties Samsung as Top Smartphone Maker in 2025

 

[BuddyTronic]

Margins for Samsung are 4% - 10% I think?

Apple iPhone Margins are 40%+ is that correct?

Wow - Apple sales are brisk.

 

[HouseLannister]

Margins for Samsung are 4% - 10% I think?

Doubt that. Samsung Mobile buys their components from other Samsung subsidiaries, all of which make their own profits. The displays, the RAM, the storage, etc. They keep separate accounting books and make the Mobile division buy their parts from their subsidiaries just like any other company wanting those components. But the profit is all kept under the same parent company. So much harder to track how profitable it really is for Sammy.

 

[Hank001]

Bet they’re number one in the laptop market this year.

 

[abowlby]

Doubt that. Samsung Mobile buys their components from other Samsung subsidiaries, all of which make their own profits. The displays, the RAM, the storage, etc. They keep separate accounting books and make the Mobile division buy their parts from their subsidiaries just like any other company wanting those components. But the profit is all kept under the same parent company. So much harder to track how profitable it really is for Sammy.

Chaebols are also fundamentally different from what we refer to as "a business" in America.

 

[I7guy]

Do not, I repeat, do not tell the EU. They will think of more ways to fine, restrict or dox Apple.

 

[DocMultimedia]

Do not, I repeat, do not tell the EU. They will think of more ways to fine, restrict or dox Apple.

The first thing I thought is that it's time to sue Apple for being a monopoly of whatever... Based on some number. 🤣

 

[B4U]

Essentially a duopoly.
Sadly, some other Android makers are leaving the North American market even though they make some really unique phones. 🥲

 

[justanotherdave]

Doubt that. Samsung Mobile buys their components from other Samsung subsidiaries, all of which make their own profits. The displays, the RAM, the storage, etc. They keep separate accounting books and make the Mobile division buy their parts from their subsidiaries just like any other company wanting those components. But the profit is all kept under the same parent company. So much harder to track how profitable it really is for Sammy.

Well, we do know Samsung Mobile revenues as Samsung publishes those numbers.

iPhone revenues routinely double Samsung Mobile revenues.

Worse, Samsung Mobile comprises phones, tablets, computers, wearables and cellular equipment. And all that combined is still half of the iPhone by itself.

 

[paul4339]

I can see some of these numbers changing soon esp with rising memory prices… Apple definitely has hold of premium ($500+) phones market, but the lower market (where Apple doesn’t focus) it’ll be battle between Samsung and the Chinese producers.
The good thing for Samsung at least if Samsung get margin squeezed, their other divisions that make components (eg memory chips) can recover any losses

 

[boswald]

Essentially a duopoly.
Sadly, some other Android makers are leaving the North American market even though they make some really unique phones. 🥲

It's a glass half-full situation: There's so many Android devices that a prune might be necessary for growth. For example, the Pixel line (which I used before my iPhone) are solid phones, but they only have a tiny fraction of the market, and this is from the company that makes Android! That's just in the USA, so I can't imagine how fragmented it must be in other markets.

 

[Gartysparty]

Well, we do know Samsung Mobile revenues as Samsung publishes those numbers.

iPhone revenues routinely double Samsung Mobile revenues.

Worse, Samsung Mobile comprises phones, tablets, computers, wearables and cellular equipment. And all that combined is still half of the iPhone by itself.

That’s largely because Samsung’s best selling phones are devices sold at half the price of the iPhone 17e. So of course those devices will be low margin. The premium S series devices have similar margins as iPhones. But those aren’t their best selling phones worldwide.

 

[mazz0]

TrendForce suggests that if Apple adopts a more aggressive pricing strategy in 2026, it could help sustain both production and sales momentum.

Wait, are they saying more people will buy them if they cost less?!

How do I become an analyst?

 

[buddhistMonkey]

How do I become an analyst?

If you have to ask, you’re not analyst material.

 

[svish]

Good for Apple. The 17 series iPhones are fantastic, especially the base 17. Think the base 17 is good enough for the vast majority. Only reason to go for the Pro will be to get zoom/telephoto lens and/or a bigger screen of Pro Max. I have the 17 Pro Max in Orange and it is wonderful phone. Love the color too. It is first for the Pro devices to have a bright and beautiful color. Hopefully Apple will have a bright color each year.