Apple lost its crown.
Or rather, it slipped from Apple’s fingers. At least for a few months.
According to Counterpoint, a market research firm that tracks these numbers with obsessive detail, Samsung has reclaimed the title of top smartphone brand globally. This happened in Q2 2025. Yes, 2025. Not 2026. Just keeping the facts straight.
So why did the giant falter?
It comes down to silicon. And specifically, a nasty shortage of RAM.
The outlook for the rest of the year remains challenging.
That is a quote from the report itself. They aren’t sugarcoating it. Global smartphone shipments are expected to drop by roughly 14% this year. Prices are up, shoppers are tired, and nobody wants to trade their current phone for a slightly updated one at a higher cost.
Samsung and Apple have been stuck in an embrace for years. Neck and neck.
Early this year, Apple pulled ahead thanks to record-breaking iPhone sales. They felt unstoppable.
Then the market shifted.
Samsung came roaring back with a 24% global market share. That is the highest among the top five brands. The engine driving this charge? The Galaxy S25 lineup. Specifically, the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which dropped in February. Counterpoint calls it a “standout performer.”
But wait. Did Apple collapse?
No. That would be silly. Apple is still sitting pretty at number two.
In fact, Apple’s share actually grew. Up 3% year-over-year in that quarter. They hit a record 20% global market share. The iPhone 15 remains their workhorse, the top-shipped model globally.
So what gave?
Supply chain physics.
The AI boom is sucking up all the available memory chips. Apple, which designs but does not manufacture its own RAM, found itself at the back of the line. Legacy iPhones saw softer demand. Component allocation shifted. Older models got short-shrifted as resources were prioritized for current-generation devices.
China, always Apple’s complicated lover, remained a “relative soft spot.” Shipments there are down.
Samsung, on the other hand?
They make the memory.
They have the chips. They have the leverage. It’s not an even fight. Samsung also nudged prices up slightly in February. Rumor has it more hikes are coming. They are launching new foldables in London in July. Watch the prices.
Yet, strangely, they kept the Ultra price stable. Smart move. The Ultra did particularly well this quarter because it didn’t sting in the wallet.
Apple hasn’t hiked prices on the iPhone 15 line yet, despite lifting costs on MacBooks and iPads back in June. For now.
Timing matters too. Samsung revealed its latest models in February. Early access, early advantage.
Apple’s next big thing? The iPhone 16. It isn’t expected until September.
Six months. That’s a long time to sit in second place.
Will Apple reclaim the lead? Maybe.
The RAM shortage doesn’t vanish just because the calendar flips to September. Supply chains are brittle. Demand is fragile.
Samsung holds the baton for now.
Apple waits for September.
