iPhone 16 sales dominated the global market in 2025.
Claiming the #1 spot despite the launch of the newer iPhone 17 series. According to Counterpoint Research, the iPhone 16 sales surge was driven by its “sweet spot” pricing ($699) and the rollout of Apple Intelligence features to the base model. While the iPhone 17 Pro Max is the 2026 favourite, the 16’s longevity in India and Japan helped it capture a record 4% share of all smartphone shipments last year.
- iPhone 16 was the world’s best-selling smartphone of 2025, leading seven Apple spots in the Top 10.
- The affordable iPhone 16e ($599) secured the 10th spot, outperforming the old SE series. [BUY iPhone 16e on Flipkart]
- Samsung’s Galaxy A16 5G took the 5th spot as the world’s top-selling Android phone.
- High residual value and 7-year update cycles are keeping users from upgrading to “flashy” rivals.
👉 Why this matters: Apple is proving that a consistent software experience (Apple Intelligence) is more important to buyers than annual hardware changes.
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Written and summarized by our editorial team using human review & a bit of AI assistance. Edited & Approved by Debraj Paul, Founder of ArticoliNews Media-Tech