Galaxy s25 sales surge: outperforming predecessor, but challenges remain

Galaxy s25 sales outperform s24 in 2025

Samsung is gearing up to unveil the Galaxy S26 series, Galaxy Buds 4, and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro in just hours. Ahead of the launch, a new report from Counterpoint Research reveals that the Galaxy S25 series has significantly outperformed its predecessor, the Galaxy S24 series, year-over-year. This positive trend is a welcome change after a somewhat slow start for the newer models.

Year-over-year sales growth

The Galaxy S25 series achieved a 5% year-over-year growth compared to the Galaxy S24 series. This impressive performance is attributed to strong sales figures during the months of June, July, and October 2025. Counterpoint's analysis indicates that the Galaxy S25 Ultra, Samsung’s top-tier smartphone, saw a notable surge in sales, surpassing its S24 Ultra counterpart by 7%.

Model-by-model comparison

While the overall Galaxy S25 series demonstrated strong performance, there were subtle shifts in individual model sales. The base Galaxy S25 model held a leading position with 46% of sales from February to December 2025, a slight increase from the 45% share of the base Galaxy S24 model in the previous year. The Galaxy S24+ and Galaxy S25+ maintained similar market shares.

The ultra model's dominance

As with previous generations, the Ultra models continue to drive a significant portion of Galaxy S sales. Both the Galaxy S24 Ultra and Galaxy S25 Ultra accounted for 19% of total Galaxy S sales for their respective years. This highlights the continued popularity and premium appeal of Samsung’s flagship devices.

Ai's impact on upgrades

Interestingly, generative AI hasn't been a major catalyst for upgrades among consumers so far. Samsung aims to change this in 2026 with enhancements to Bixby and the integration of Perplexity. The success of these AI features will likely play a key role in the adoption of the Galaxy S26 series.

Future outlook and potential challenges

The question remains: will the Galaxy S26 Ultra continue this upward trajectory, and will the entire Galaxy S26 lineup surpass the Galaxy S25 series? A key factor influencing this outcome is the ongoing memory chip shortage, exacerbated by the demand for AI chips. This could lead to increased pricing, potentially impacting sales. If Samsung absorbs these cost increases, the Galaxy S26 series could significantly outperform its predecessor.