This is the best selling smartphone in the world

Apple’s iPhone 16 was the most popular smartphone globally in Q3 2025, according to Counterpoint Research’s Global Handset Model Sales Tracker. Apple and Samsung captured five spots each in the top-10 list, which together contributed 20% of worldwide smartphone shipments for the quarter. The dominance also reflects a shift toward 5G, with the top five positions occupied entirely by 5G models for the first time in a Q3 quarter.

iPhone 16 leads global sales

The iPhone 16 topped the chart with a 4% share, retaining the first position for the third straight quarter. Strong festive-season demand in India and continued recovery in Japan helped the model offset the usual seasonal dip caused by the arrival of the newer iPhone 17 series. While the iPhone 16 Pro models saw sharper declines in core markets such as the US, UK and China, the standard iPhone 16 remained resilient.

Apple also placed the iPhone 17 Pro Max in the tenth spot. Despite limited availability toward the end of the quarter, it became September 2025’s best-selling smartphone. The model’s early traction is linked to buyers from the COVID-era upgrade cycle and the series’ new camera system, featuring 48MP sensors, ProRes RAW, GenLock and an 8x optical-quality telephoto zoom. The A19 Pro chip and improved cooling further boost performance for intensive workloads.

Samsung’s Galaxy A series fills rest of the list

Samsung secured all five of its positions with the Galaxy A series, which continues to act as a strong pillar in the company’s global strategy. The Galaxy A16 5G emerged as the best-selling Android model, climbing ahead of last year’s 4G variant. Mid-segment devices such as the Galaxy A36 and A56 are seeing higher demand due to the addition of Samsung’s “Awesome Intelligence”—AI features like Best Face and Nightography—along with faster charging and longer software support.

Models like the Galaxy A16 4G and Galaxy A06 maintained their relevance in emerging markets across Latin America and MEA, where LTE devices still account for a significant portion of sales.

The rise of GenAI features across mid-range devices is expected to keep the category prominent in the global top-10 list. As capabilities improve, the gap between mid-tier and flagship user experiences continues to narrow, offering consumers greater value across regions.

Top 10 best-selling smartphones (Q3 2025)

1. iPhone 16

2. Galaxy A16 5G

3. Galaxy A36

4. Galaxy A56

5. Galaxy A16 4G

6. Galaxy A06

7. iPhone 16 Plus 

8. iPhone 16 Pro 

9. iPhone 16 Pro Max 

10. iPhone 17 Pro Max