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3 months ago
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Apple’s revenue from iPhone dwarfs Samsung’s revenue from Android sales. Image: Apple/Samsung/Cult of Mac
Apple’s revenue from selling iPhones makes up a whopping 43% of the global smartphone total, according to a new report from a market research firm. That’s close to triple the revenue the next closest rival brings in from its Androids.
Apple rakes in such a high percentage of the total by selling high-end models, versus its rivals who get their revenue from basic smartphones.
iPhone Q2 2025 revenue versus Samsung
There are two strategies to make money: sell a lot of cheap products, or sell fewer premium ones. Apple mastered the second strategy, as demonstrated by a report published Monday.
Samsung led the world in handset unit shipments during the second quarter of 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. The Korean company had 20% of the market versus Apple’s 17%.
But Apple took home the lion’s share of revenue from those shipments. It brought in 43% of the global total in Q2, while Samsung’s share made up only 15%. None of the other top smartphone makers had even a double-digit share.
You gotta make money to make money
“Apple strengthened its lead in revenues driven by strong performance of the [iPhone] 16 series across geographies, benefitting from the broader premiumization trend,” said Counterpoint Research’s Jeff Fieldhack.
Fieldhack is referencing customers around the world being increasingly willing to pay more for premium smartphones. In just the last year, the global average price for a smartphone went from $323 to $374 — a 16% annual increase.
The iPhone average selling price in Q2 2025 was $879, according to Counterpoint’s data. That’s $80 above the cost of the standard iPhone 16, indicating strong sales of the Pro and Pro Max models.
In contrast, Samsung’s ASP was just $270. That’s because its “growth was largely driven by strong demand for its refreshed mid-tier A-series devices,” said Counterpoint. Samsung may brag about the capabilities of handsets like the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but few of its customers actually buy those premium models.
The market research firm doesn’t try to compare Apple’s profits earned by selling iPhones to Samsung’s Android profits, but Apple’s vastly higher revenue is strongly indicative of which company earns more.
