Khaberni - Apple is recording significant progress that may make it the largest smartphone manufacturer in the world for the first time in 14 years, surpassing Samsung, according to industry experts.
Apple is expected to ship about 243 million phones this year, compared to 235 million for Samsung, according to a report by Counterpoint Research.
This is about 19.4% of the global smartphone market compared to 18.7% for Samsung, placing Apple at the forefront of global and Asian companies for the first time since 2011.
Experts indicate that the company may maintain its global leadership position until 2029, and possibly beyond. The success of the "iPhone 17," released in September, has boosted this performance, with "abundant" sales during the holiday season, according to Liang Wang, an analyst at Counterpoint Research.
He added that demand is also strong in emerging markets such as India, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
Apple is expanding its presence through its distribution partners, in addition to establishing direct sales outlets. The depreciation of the US dollar has also increased the purchasing power of overseas consumers for new phones.
The United States saw a 12% increase in sales of the "iPhone 17" series during the first four weeks after launch compared to the "iPhone 16" series, while sales in China increased by 18% and in Japan by 7%.
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The analyst Wang noted that a segment of "iPhone" users who do not buy the latest models annually chose this new model this year, which has boosted shipment growth expectations.
Apple has also benefited from lower-than-expected customs tariffs and a temporary truce in the trade war between the United States and China, which has mitigated the impact of tariffs on "iPhone" phones made in China.
iPhone shipments are expected to grow by 10% in 2025, while Samsung is expected to see a growth of 5%.
However, the largest four Chinese manufacturing companies - Xiaomi, Vivo, Transsion, and Oppo - are expected to face challenges due to weak domestic markets, supply chain disruptions, and increased competition. Despite these companies' shift toward premium and foldable phones, uncertainty in supply chains continues to hamper expansion.
Global smartphone shipments are expected to grow by 3.3% annually in 2025, driven by Apple's strong performance. The company will continue to strengthen its dominance with the launch of anticipated "iPhone" products, including "iPhone 17e" (the successor to "iPhone 16e") in the first half of 2026, and the first book-like foldable phone by the end of next year, along with a smaller horizontally folding model in 2027.
Counterpoint Research expects a significant redesign of the "iPhone" in 2027 to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the device's launch, with a curved glass screen, alongside enhancements in the "Apple Intelligence" artificial intelligence platform that will encourage users to upgrade to the latest devices.
