Samsung and Apple dominated the best-selling phone list in Q3.
iPhone 16 leads the world, Galaxy A16 leads Android.
Top 10 best-selling phones for Q3 2025 compared to Q3 2024.
The iPhone 16 Pro models experienced a sharper decline in sales in markets such as the US and the UK, as consumers moved to the iPhone 17 series.
Consequently, the iPhone 17 Pro Max secured tenth position for the quarter and emerged as the best-selling phone in September 2025, despite limited availability towards the end of the month.
The iPhone 16e's entry into the top five was unexpected, demonstrating the demand for a more affordable Apple option. For the first time in a Q3, all top five spots were claimed by 5G phones, highlighting the widespread adoption of 5G technology.
Following Apple's dominance of the top four positions, Samsung occupied the subsequent slots with five Galaxy A-series models. Notably, no S-series phone made it into the top 10 this time.
The Galaxy A16 5G became the best-selling Android phone globally, surpassing last year's ranking and exceeding the performance of its 4G counterpart. The Galaxy A36 and A56 also outsold their predecessors, benefiting from new Galaxy AI features, faster charging capabilities, and extended software support.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy A16 4G and Galaxy A06 were the only LTE phones to feature in the top 10, maintaining a strong presence in regions like Latin America and MEA, where they accounted for over half of each model's total sales.
These sales figures offer insight into the evolving smartphone market. With the influx of market analyses and data on foldable phone sales (where Samsung again took the lead), a clearer picture of Q3 emerges.
Samsung's performance in Q3 was stronger than anticipated, even surpassing Apple for the third consecutive quarter, despite the buzz surrounding the iPhone 17 launch.
While the placements are not surprising, the timing is noteworthy. Apple's devices typically dominate the top positions, and Samsung's A-series remains its primary volume driver. The absence of the Galaxy S25 Ultra from the rankings is understandable considering its Q1 launch.
With the imminent arrival of the Galaxy S26 Ultra in the coming months, a shift in focus is expected.