Apple will ship around 243 million iPhone units this year versus 235 million shipments from Samsung, Counterpoint Research said. It will be the first time in 14 years that Apple will have shipped more smartphones than Samsung. Apple's success is being driven by its iPhone 17 series launched in September.

By expanding its lineup across multiple price tiers, including the growing “e” series, and potential adjustments to the Pro and Base launch cycles, Apple is strategically positioning itself to capture...