New data shows the iPhone 16 was the best-selling phone of 2025, with Apple's iPhone accounting for seven of the top 10 devices of the year and Samsung making up the rest.
That data, provided by market-watchers Counterpoint Research, has Apple's 2024 entry-level iPhone 16 proving the biggest winner among buyers. Apple's 2025 lineup was also represented, starting with the iPhone 17 Pro Max in fourth spot.
Between those two devices, the premium iPhone 16 Pro Max was second, with the iPhone 16 Pro third. The first non-Apple device, Samsung's budget Galaxy A16 5G, found a home in fifth.
Counterpoint's list of the 10 best-selling phones of 2025 reads:
- Apple iPhone 16
- Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
- Apple iPhone 16 Pro
- Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Samsung Galaxy A16 5G
- Samsung Galaxy A06 5G
- Apple iPhone 17
- Apple iPhone 15
- Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
- Apple iPhone 16e
Research analyst Harshit Rastogi noted that the iPhone 17 series sold 16% more devices than the iPhone 16 during its first quarter on sale. Notably, the iPhone 17 featured some important upgrades over its predecessor.
Alongside more RAM and double the base level of storage, the iPhone 17 also brought a 120Hz ProMotion to a non-Pro iPhone for the first time. The move allowed iPhone 17 buyers to experience Pro-level features at the $799 price point for the first time.
Budget buys
Further down the lineup, Apple's $599 iPhone 16e took 10th spot. The entry-level device offers a modern iPhone experience at a price that would normally see buyers turn to Android. The report notes that Japan and the United States were key to the iPhone 16e's success.
There was no place in the top 10 for Apple's iPhone Air, a device that has proven controversial among buyers and commentators alike.
However, it's important to note that Apple doesn't publish specific iPhone sales volumes by unit, leaving analysts to calculate figures themselves. That, ultimately, means that it's impossible to know how accurate they are — and the margin for error has just gotten wider over the years.
That being said, it's clear that Apple's iPhones are as popular as ever. It's also notable that only one of Samsung's three phones in the top 10 is a premium device.
Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra can be found in 9th place, with budget-friendly models taking the 5th and 6th spots.
Counterpoint's data suggests that premium buyers continue to choose iPhones. And with the iPhone 16e and older models proving popular, Samsung's budget-oriented customers might be tempted to jump ship too.
