Apple dominated smartphone sales throughout 2025, and according to a new industry report, the company also holds the top spot when it comes to the total number of active devices worldwide. This particular metric tracks how many phones are currently in use at any given time, factoring in elements like user retention, ecosystem loyalty, and the overall lifespan of devices. It paints a broader picture of a brand’s real-world footprint than simple sales figures alone. The findings come from analytics firm Counterpoint Research, as reported by GSMArena.
According to Counterpoint Research’s data, one in every four active smartphones used throughout 2025 was an iPhone. That is a remarkable figure when you consider the sheer size and diversity of the global smartphone market. The statistic underscores not only Apple’s commercial success but also how long users tend to hold onto their devices before upgrading or switching brands. Few manufacturers can claim that kind of sustained presence across their entire installed base.
Apple and Samsung are the only two companies that have earned a place in what analysts describe as the “billion active devices club,” and together they account for 44% of all active smartphones globally for 2025. Counterpoint analysts credit their shared dominance to the strength of their respective ecosystems and the deep loyalty of their user bases. What stands out even more is that Apple recorded a greater net increase in users during 2025 than the following seven leading manufacturers combined. That kind of growth at that scale is virtually unheard of in the industry.
Sitting in third place for active users is Xiaomi, followed by Oppo and vivo rounding out the top five. All three companies offer wide-ranging smartphone portfolios that span every price tier, and each has been actively investing in building out its own connected ecosystem of products and services. Their presence in the top five reflects how Chinese manufacturers have cemented themselves as genuinely global players rather than regional competitors.
Sixth place belongs to Transsion Group, the parent company behind the Tecno, itel, and Infinix brands, which has been experiencing rapid growth across markets in the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Huawei and Honor also feature within the top eight, with Honor having officially crossed the threshold of 200 million active devices. Motorola and Realme sit just outside that top eight ranking, though analysts note that both brands are on a clear trajectory to soon join the 200 million active users club as well.
To understand why these numbers matter, it helps to know a bit about how the smartphone industry measures success. Active device counts differ from shipment or sales data because they reflect real-world usage rather than units moved through supply chains. A high active device count signals that users are not only buying a brand’s phones but holding onto them, often across multiple years. This is particularly significant for Apple, whose devices are known for receiving software updates for many years after release, which encourages users to keep using older models rather than replacing them. The smartphone market itself is estimated to have over five billion active users globally, making the competition for that installed base one of the most consequential battles in consumer technology today.
If you have thoughts on which smartphone brand you think deserves to be at the top of the rankings, share them in the comments.
