Samsung vs Apple initial 2025 numbers are in, and it’s a surprisingly close contest
Apple just did something in Q1 it’s never done before, and Samsung should be worried.

Credit: Robert Triggs / Android Authority
- According to multiple reports, Apple did surprisingly well in the first quarter of 2025, a period when Samsung usually rules the roost with its flagship S series.
- Counterpoint Research reports that Apple actually beat Samsung to take the top spot in the worldwide smartphone market for the first time ever in Q1.
- Other research firms beg to differ but don’t deny Apple’s exceptional performance over the last three months.
Every quarter, market analysts and industry insiders track how the top smartphone brands stack up globally. The competition is always fierce among the big three — Samsung, Apple, and Xiaomi — with Samsung and Apple constantly swapping places at the top. But Q1 2025 delivered a surprise that might give Samsung reason to worry.