iPhone 17 vs Galaxy Z Fold 7: Who’s Really Winning the 2025 Phone Race?

The third quarter of 2025 saw a rise in smartphone shipments, which was an indication of the major brands like Apple and Samsung getting back their strength. The IDCs latest Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker gave a report that global shipments increased by 2.6% Y-o-Y, reaching 322.7 million units as compared to 314.6 million units in the same quarter last year.

This duration of July to September not only captures Apple's annual iPhone releasing period but also highlights the competition among the manufacturers for the best products, thus making it a very important time period for the mobile market every year.

IDC analysts have pointed out that premium models like Apple's iPhone 17 lineup and Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7, among others, are the primary contributors for the increase in numbers. Both firms enhanced their shipping capabilities thanks to strong preorders and sales, and the one of the sharpest progressing quarters was a recent past for Samsung.

Nabila Popal, IDC's senior research director for Worldwide Client Devices, mentioned that the majority of consumers are now inclined towards the high-end smartphones with AI features and innovative design as the trade-in and financing plans have made it easy for them to upgrade.

Apple and Samsung controlled the high-end market but other brands were busy getting a bigger share in emerging markets. Xiaomi and its Redmi and Poco sub-brands together reported a good rise in sales in Europe and Latin America. Transsion, which is the leading brand in Africa’s low-cost smartphone segment, also enjoyed a considerable increase. On the other hand, Vivo was concentrating the sales of its budget AI smart phones in Asia's developing markets which resulted in overall sales gaining further support.

In spite of the global economic uncertainty, the report from IDC still holds a good forecast for 2025. The last quarter, which is usually marked by the holiday season and end-of-year discounts, is thought to contribute to the upward trend as manufacturers use the festive marketing to get rid of the stock and bring in the late adopters.

The clear message for the average users is that smartphone innovation is not in vain anymore. The new models, such as iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro Max, Galaxy Z Fold 7, and Z Flip 7, have all received great reviews from both users and reviewers which means that the user upgradings, which were put off in the embryonic pandemic years, are now coming out in full bloom.

As the year comes to an end, experts are advising consumers that it is a good time to check out the upgrade options since there will be favorable pricing and trade-in programs will help in cutting down the ownership costs.