Analyst Counterpoint says second-hand phones are also helping Cupertino to the smartphone shipment summit

Apple is set to displace Samsung as the world’s top smartphone manufacturer, measured by shipment volume, according to analyst firm Counterpoint.

Samsung has topped the charts since 2011, but the firm says the recently-released iPhone 17 is selling better, faster, than its predecessor.

Counterpoint senior analyst Yang Wang said two other factors are fueling an iBoom.

“Consumers who purchased smartphones during the COVID-19 boom are now entering their upgrade phase,” he said. “Furthermore, 358 million second-hand iPhones were sold between 2023 and Q2 2025. These users are also likely to upgrade to a new iPhone in the coming years. These factors will form a sizable demand base, which is expected to sustain iPhone shipment growth over the coming quarters.”

Wang said the iPhone’s tepid AI features aren’t a worry for buyers. Counterpoint thinks that once Apple improves its AI, “it will likely provide a further driver of ...