Apple and Samsung are both the largest smartphone OEMs in the world. However, for several years now, Samsung has been in first place. But now, a report from Counterpoint Research suggests that Apple might overtake Samsung as the biggest smartphone brand, reclaiming its crown after more than a decade.
Apple to overtake Samsung as biggest smartphone brand
According to the report, Apple is expected to grow 10% this year. In comparison, Samsung is estimated to grow by just 4.6%. Based on this discrepancy, Apple could finally overtake Samsung to become the biggest smartphone brand in the world. The report also estimates that Apple could capture a whopping 19.4% of the global market.
This growth is attributed in part to the recently launched iPhone 17 series. While Apple’s iPhone Air might be considered a failure , the rest of the lineup has been pretty well-received. It also appears to be attractive enough that Android users have jumped ship. But is this a short-term gain for Apple? Apparently not. The report suggests that Apple could maintain its lead until at least 2029.
Samsung’s growth
It’s not surprising that Samsung has managed to overtake Apple prior to this report. While Apple focuses on high-end premium devices, Samsung makes phones ranging from budget to high-end. This allowed the company to capture a huge chunk of the market , not just the premium side.
However, you can almost say that Samsung got a little too comfortable. While other OEMs, especially those from China, have been pushing the envelope in terms of battery size, charging speeds, and cameras, Samsung has been more than happy to keep doing what they have been doing.
This isn’t to say that Samsung phones are bad, but rather, they aren’t as attractive as they once were. Samsung does have a chance to reclaim some of its market share. The company is expected to debut the Galaxy S26 series next year. The phone will be powered by Samsung’s Exynos 2600, which could very well be the first 2nm chipset to hit the market . It could make the phone more attractive to those who are looking for the most powerful and efficient devices.
