The global smartphone market remains largely unchanged as Samsung and Apple continue to battle for the top spot in global shipments. Thanks in part to the successful launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Samsung holds on to the top spot.
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Samsung's recent earnings call outlined several initiatives for the coming year, including new flagship models that are expected. The report shows that Samsung saw growth on both a year-over-year (YoY) and quarter-over-quarter (QoQ) basis, but it did not provide detailed information for the current year. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is emerging as one of the strongest releases of the year.
A report from Omdia confirms that Samsung increased its global smartphone shipments, with a 6% increase, from 57.5 million to 60.6 million in the third quarter of 2025. This data follows the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
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Samsung maintained its lead over Apple, which grew 4% year-on-year. Global market share remained stable, with Samsung at 19% and Apple at 18%. This marks the second consecutive year that Samsung has held the top spot since it overtook Apple in 2024, and both companies have seen growth since the decline of 2023.
While there is no specific data on Galaxy Z Fold 7 shipments, the report suggests that growth was driven by the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7. It can be inferred that the success of the Android foldable contributed to Samsung's rise in the rankings, despite the modest success of the Galaxy S25 series.
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Additionally, Samsung is gearing up to launch the Galaxy TriFold. The company recently showed off the device for the first time at APEC 2025, revealing its slim design, though many questions remain unanswered. Samsung plans to release the device sometime this year, but it is expected to have limited production and may not debut in the US.
