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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteApple gained U.S. smartphone shipment share in Q1 2025 while Samsung lost ground, but that does not mean Americans suddenly switched from Galaxy phones to iPhones. Counterpoint reported that U.S. shipments rose 9% year over year even as a separate sell-out measure showed the market down 2%. Those figures track different points in the sales chain—and shipments were boosted by companies moving inventory ahead of anticipated tariffs.
The quarter was a meaningful snapshot, not proof of a lasting change in consumer preference. Apple’s iPhone 16e helped broaden its lineup, Samsung had weaker year-over-year Galaxy S25 shipments, and Samsung rebounded strongly in Q2.
What “market share” means in these reports
Smartphone-market headlines can describe several different measures. They are not interchangeable:
- Shipments (sell-in): Phones sent by manufacturers into the channel, including to carriers, distributors, and retailers. A phone can count as shipped before a customer buys it.
- Sell-out: Phones sold through retail or carrier channels to customers. This is closer to consumer purchases, though it does not measure every phone in use.
- Carrier sell-out: Sales through a defined group of carriers, not the entire U.S. market.
- Installed base: Phones currently in use. It shifts more slowly than quarterly sales or shipments.
For Q1 2025, Counterpoint’s shipment report said U.S. shipments grew 9% year over year. A separate sell-out analysis cited by Android Headlines said the U.S. market declined 2%. The two reports can both be accurate: one counts devices entering the channel, the other devices sold out of it. The shipment increase was partly attributed to manufacturers moving shipments forward in March amid expected tariff changes, which can make quarterly shipment growth look stronger than underlying customer demand.
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Q1 2025 scorecard: Apple gained, Samsung lost share
Counterpoint’s May 26, 2025 report measured U.S. smartphone shipments. Apple’s share rose five percentage points from a year earlier, while Samsung’s fell six. Motorola also gained share.
| Vendor or measure | Q1 2024 share | Q1 2025 share | What the figures show |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | 52% | 57% | Counterpoint’s highest first-quarter shipment share for Apple in its series |
| Samsung | 31% | 25% | Lower share, with weaker year-over-year Galaxy S25 shipments cited as a factor |
| Motorola/Lenovo | 9% | 11% | Share gain, supported in part by an earlier G-series launch and prepaid positioning |
| Total U.S. shipments | — | — | Up 9% year over year, according to Counterpoint |
Shares are shares of shipments, not the percentage of Americans who own each brand or the percentage of all phones sold at every retailer. Counterpoint’s Q1 share figures should therefore not be combined with the separate sell-out decline as if they were one measure.
Why Apple had a strong quarter
The iPhone 16e widened Apple’s price ladder
Launched in February 2025, the iPhone 16e gave Apple a newer, lower-priced entry point than its Pro models. That could appeal to customers who wanted iOS but did not want to pay flagship prices, particularly while premium-phone demand was under pressure. Counterpoint also found that the 16e entered its global top-ten best-selling-phone ranking in March, its first full month of sales, at sixth place. That global model ranking is evidence of a notable launch, not proof that the phone alone drove Apple’s U.S. share increase.
Apple shipments were pulled forward
Counterpoint said manufacturers accelerated shipments ahead of anticipated tariff exposure. That can lift a quarter’s shipment total even if the devices are sold later, and it can shift volume between quarters. It does not establish that every device shipped was immediately purchased by a customer or that tariffs alone caused Apple’s gain.
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Apple was strong at major carriers
The sell-out analysis cited by Android Headlines put Apple at 72% of sales at the three largest U.S. carriers, up two percentage points year over year, with Android at 28%. This is a carrier-specific measure, not a national installed-base figure or a direct comparison with Counterpoint’s shipment shares. The same coverage associated Apple’s improvement in part with the iPhone 16e.
Why Samsung slipped—and why the number is not a collapse
Samsung’s U.S. shipment share fell from 31% in Q1 2024 to 25% in Q1 2025, with Counterpoint pointing to lower year-over-year Galaxy S25 shipments. The report does not establish one cause for that result. Samsung remained the country’s second-largest smartphone vendor, and a quarterly share decline does not mean there were fewer Samsung phones in use.
Premium demand was also challenging. The sell-out analysis cited by Android Headlines reported a 4% year-over-year decline in the U.S. segment for phones priced at $800 or more. That finding is specific to the cited analysis, not a universal measure of every premium-phone sale. High replacement costs, longer upgrade cycles, economic uncertainty, and limited perceived differences between recent flagship generations can all make customers less eager to upgrade; the available figures do not isolate how much each factor contributed.
Promotions change the customer’s real price
Coverage of the quarter described Verizon and AT&T offers that could make a Galaxy S25 Ultra effectively free for eligible customers. “Free” in a carrier promotion generally depends on conditions such as an eligible trade-in, a qualifying plan, a new line or activation, and bill credits paid over time. A customer who leaves early may lose remaining credits. Such deals lower the effective cost for some buyers, but they can also tie the customer to a more expensive plan or a longer carrier relationship.
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Promotions can affect upgrades and channel volume without proving that consumers prefer a phone at its full retail price. For a personal-finance comparison, calculate the total cost over the entire credit period: plan charges, trade-in value, fees, and any credits forfeited if you switch early. Compare that with buying an unlocked phone and keeping a less expensive plan.
Why a weaker premium segment can coexist with Apple’s share gain
A segment can shrink while one company takes a larger portion of it. If Apple’s sales hold up better than a competitor’s, or if a lower-priced model brings in buyers who would otherwise wait, Apple can gain share even when the overall premium pool contracts. Shipment timing and carrier offers can further change the quarterly picture.
That is why the 4% decline reported for the $800-and-up sell-out segment does not contradict Apple’s shipment-share increase. The figures describe different metrics, and the market-share change is relative to competitors—not a guarantee that Apple’s unit sales or long-term customer base grew by the same amount.
Q2 2025 was a reality check, not a clean reversal of the same measure
Canalys reported a markedly different vendor pattern in Q2 2025. Its U.S. shipment estimates show Apple down year over year and Samsung up, while total shipments edged higher. This is a separate quarter and research firm from Counterpoint’s Q1 analysis, so it is best used as a check against treating Q1 as a permanent trend.
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- MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
- NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
- BUILT TO LAST: With an improved IP54 rating, Galaxy A17 5G is even more durable than before.⁴ It’s built to resist splashes and dust and comes with a stronger yet slimmer Gorilla Glass Victus front and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer back.
| Vendor | Q2 2025 shipments | Q2 2025 share | Year-over-year shipment change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | 13.3 million | 49% | -11% |
| Samsung | 8.3 million | 31% | +38% |
| Motorola | 3.2 million | 12% | +2% |
| 0.8 million | 3% | +13% | |
| TCL | 0.7 million | 3% | -23% |
| Total market | 27.1 million | 100% | +1% |
Canalys’s comparison puts total U.S. shipments at 27.1 million, versus 26.7 million in Q2 2024. Apple still led, while Samsung’s share rose to 31% from 23% a year earlier. The total market was nearly flat compared with the much larger swings in the two leading brands. Seasonal product cycles, promotions, and earlier inventory moves can all affect quarterly shipments; the figures alone do not establish a permanent change in loyalty.
Tariffs and manufacturing locations affect timing, not just prices
Tariff concerns gave manufacturers an incentive to move some shipments earlier, according to Counterpoint’s Q1 account. Canalys coverage later reported that the share of U.S.-bound smartphones manufactured in China fell from 61% in Q2 2024 to 25% in Q2 2025, with India becoming more important to U.S. supply. Manufacturing location is not the same as brand headquarters, and a supply-chain shift can alter inventory timing without changing what customers want.
Tariffs can potentially affect costs, margins, inventory decisions, and carrier promotions differently. The available quarterly results do not show that tariffs alone caused Apple’s Q1 gain, Samsung’s Q1 decline, or Apple’s Q2 fall.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.The U.S. market is not just Apple versus Samsung
Motorola’s Q1 share rose to 11% in Counterpoint’s shipment data, compared with 9% a year earlier. Its earlier 2025 G-series launch and prepaid positioning were cited as contributors. In Canalys’s Q2 data, Motorola shipped 3.2 million phones for 12% share, while Google shipped 0.8 million for 3% share and grew 13% year over year. The firms and quarters differ, but both sets of results show why lower-cost models and prepaid distribution belong in the picture.
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- Compatibility with certain third-party devices and accessibility accessories, including some hearing aids, may vary depending on manufacturer support, Bluetooth protocols, software compatibility, and regional firmware limitations. For additional hearing aid compatibility information, please refer to Samsung’s official support documentation.
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For buyers who do not need top-tier hardware, a less expensive phone can be a better financial choice than a heavily promoted flagship. Compare the device’s software-support commitment, camera and performance needs, repair options, and the plan required by any offer; brand share is not a measure of value for an individual customer.
What the market shift means if you are buying a phone
Quarterly share data can explain where manufacturers are gaining or losing channel momentum. It cannot tell you which phone is best for your budget or whether a carrier deal saves money over time. Make the decision around your use and total cost.
- Consider an iPhone if you rely on iOS, iMessage, FaceTime, Apple Watch or Mac integration, or prefer Apple’s ecosystem. Compare the 16e with higher-tier models based on the features you will actually use.
- Consider a Galaxy if you want Android flexibility, extensive customization, multitasking, a stylus on Ultra models, or a broad range of Samsung models. Check the exact trade-in and plan terms before valuing a carrier offer.
- Compare Motorola or Pixel if a lower price, prepaid availability, Google software, or camera processing matters more than flagship specifications. Check the support policy and model-specific features before buying.
- Write down the unlocked price and the carrier’s full offer terms, including eligible plan, trade-in condition, line requirements, credit duration, and early-switch consequences.
- Calculate what you would pay over the same period under both options, including monthly service charges and fees—not just the phone’s advertised monthly payment.
- Choose based on the features, software support, and ecosystem you need, rather than assuming the quarter’s highest-share brand is automatically the best value.
Sources and scope
Counterpoint’s Q1 2025 U.S. shipment analysis and share data: Counterpoint Research. Counterpoint’s global Q1 model ranking: Top 10 best-selling smartphones in Q1 2025. The separate Q1 sell-out and premium-segment figures are reported by Android Headlines. Canalys’s Q2 shipment figures are reproduced in its U.S. market chart; supply-chain context is also covered by 9to5Mac’s report on Canalys.
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