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This is the most popular smartphone in the world right now

This is the most popular smartphone in the world right now

Time of India30-05-2025
has finally received some good news following a period marked by several setbacks. Apple's
iPhone 16
emerged as the best-selling smartphone globally in the first quarter of 2025, marking the first time in two years a base model iPhone has achieved the top spot, according to a recent report from Counterpoint Research.
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Apple maintained its strong presence in the top-10 list, securing four spots for the fifth consecutive March quarter with iPhone 16, followed by its Pro variants and the iPhone 15. Samsung's Galaxy A16 5G has taken fifth place.
Markets where iPhone 16 series performed well
Apple's iPhone 16's strong performance was particularly driven by high growth in Japan and the Middle East and Africa (MEA) regions. The
iPhone 16 Pro Max
and iPhone 16 Pro secured the second and third spots, respectively, solidifying Apple's overall dominance in the top global smartphone rankings.
Despite these high rankings, the Pro series faced headwinds in China, a crucial market. Government subsidies in China favor devices priced under CNY 6,000 (approximately $833), making the higher-priced Pro models ineligible for these discounts. Additionally, strong competition in China's premium segment from domestic manufacturers like Huawei presented further challenges. Nevertheless, Pro models continued to account for nearly half of Apple's total iPhone sales for the third consecutive quarter.
iPhone 16e: 5 Reasons to buy the most affordable iPhone 16 series model!
The report also said Apple's iPhone 16e made a strong debut, securing the sixth spot in the global top-10 list for March 2025.
"Despite a higher price compared to the SE 2022, the 16e is expected to outperform its predecessor during its first year. This success will be largely driven by its significant technological advancements and expanded feature set," the report said.
Samsung grabs four spots in top 10
Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra secured the seventh spot in Q1 2025, and despite the limited availability, the S25 series delivered steady results, the report noted.
The Galaxy A16 5G ranked fifth in Q1 2025, followed by the Galaxy A06. The list also includes Xiaomi's Redmi 14C 4G -- the only model outside of Apple and Samsung to make it to the global top-10 list.
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Tech Wrap July 24: iQOO Z10R, Qi2 25W standard, Google Photos AI features
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Tech Wrap July 24: iQOO Z10R, Qi2 25W standard, Google Photos AI features

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Bengaluru techie buys home at 23 after rising from Rs 18,000 intern to Rs 24LPA role

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A $2,000 foldable iPhone can take the heat off Tim Cook
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  • Time of India

A $2,000 foldable iPhone can take the heat off Tim Cook

Picture the life of Samsung hardware engineers: Day after day, they toil at the cutting edge, devising almost inconceivable ways to defy physics. Components are shrunken, twisted, bent against their will. And then their work is unveiled to the world: the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 , an unfathomably thin folding smartphone. The company eagerly awaits the reaction of American smartphone buyers. 'Meh,' they say. Harsh? Maybe. But the sales won't lie. At this point, I don't know what it would take for Samsung Electronics Co. to engineer its way to a bigger slice of the US market, where Apple Inc. has a 56% share compared with Samsung's 25%. The consumer lock-in of iOS and the Apple product range is just too great. People love their iPhones. And yet, ask a Wall Street investor and she'll tell you the iPhone segment is tired. Revenue growth (globally) has softened — 1.9% in the last quarter, down 0.8% in the all-important holiday quarter before that. The predicted upgrade 'supercycle' from artificial-intelligence features has failed to materialize because they are delayed. That's had some close observers half-heartedly questioning Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook 's position. He can quiet at least some of that talk with the coming folding iPhone, which, according to Bloomberg News' Mark Gurman, is expected by the end of next year. That's a long way off but not too long. From a hardware standpoint at least, Samsung's Fold 7 is a blueprint for where the iPhone can and will go next. The Korean giant's foldable efforts began in 2019 with the introduction of the Galaxy Fold. The head-turning engineering achievement was held back by obvious limitations: The screen was fragile and quickly developed a prominent crease at the fold. When closed, it was rather fat — 15.5 mm. The release was delayed after reviewers found severe reliability issues. The devices have improved since, but the foldable market is still less than 2% of the overall smartphone pool, CCS Insight's Ben Wood estimates — 22 million foldable units sold in 2024. But with the Fold 7, announced at an event in Brooklyn earlier this month, there's more than a whiff of a suggestion that Samsung has made a foldable phone that everyday users might finally find appealing. The device has been well received in review circles. The $2,000 price tag is huge, granted, though that can be heavily discounted with trade-ins and other perks. And again, it's remarkably thin: When shut, the device is only six-tenths of a millimeter thicker than the latest iPhone 16 Pro. None of this alters the challenge, however, which is that anyone who might be tempted away from the iPhone has too many practical considerations that overrule the novelty or utility of a folding phone. 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I'm confident it won't take much to persuade a great number of Apple users to start buying what ultimately amounts to one device for the price of two.

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