Samsung’s global smartphone footprint has reached a historic milestone. According to new data from Counterpoint Research, the South Korean tech giant has surpassed 1 billion active smartphones, solidifying its position as the world’s second-largest manufacturer by installed base.

The report highlights a broader industry trend: the total number of active smartphones worldwide grew by approximately 2% in 2025. This expansion is largely driven by lengthening replacement cycles—now approaching four years—and a thriving secondary market that extends the lifespan of older devices for new owners.

Samsung and Apple now stand alone as the only two companies with over a billion active devices each. Together, the duopoly commanded roughly 44% of the global installed base in 2025.

According to Karn Chauhan, a senior analyst at Counterpoint Research, Samsung’s enduring success stems from its long-standing market presence, a vast portfolio ranging from entry-level to flagship models, and deep penetration in key global regions.

In the premium segment, Samsung has introduced features designed to retain users longer and improve transferability. These include robust build quality, extended software support, and a cohesive device ecosystem. Notably, the Galaxy S25 series comes with a commitment to seven generations of OS upgrades and seven years of security updates, significantly extending the device’s lifecycle.

However, the report notes a lingering challenge for Samsung: resale value. The gap in value retention compared to iPhones has widened in recent years, an area where Apple maintains a distinct advantage.

Apple continues to lead the global ranking for active devices, bolstered by high user loyalty and the "stickiness" of the iOS ecosystem. In 2025 alone, Apple’s new active device activations exceeded the combined total of the next seven brands. Counterpoint estimates that one in every four active smartphones globally is now an iPhone.

Meanwhile, the next tier of manufacturers—Xiaomi, OPPO, Vivo, Transsion, Huawei, and Honor—each maintain an active base of over 200 million units. Despite these numbers, these brands face significant hurdles in the premium market, where wholesale prices exceed $600; this segment accounted for only a single-digit share of their sales in 2025.