Apple just did something it’s never pulled off before — it outsold everyone else in the smartphone game for the first quarter of the year.

Yep, even Samsung.

Q1 usually belongs to Android, but according to Counterpoint Research, Apple snagged 19% of the global market, barely edging past Samsung’s 18%.

The win came down to the iPhone 16e, Apple’s new $599 entry-level phone that officially replaced the SE and showed up right on time in March.

What’s even more impressive is that this wasn’t just a win in the usual strongholds.

The iPhone 16e saw a big bump in markets like Japan and India — areas that haven’t always been at the center of Apple’s strategy but are quickly becoming key players as more people come online and upgrade their devices.

Meanwhile, Samsung slipped a bit.

Its market share dipped from 21% in Q1 2023 to 18% this year, partly because the S25 launch was later than usual.

Xiaomi kept climbing, landing in third with 14%, while Vivo and OPPO rounded out the top five.

Still, it’s not all sunshine for the phone world. Global smartphone sales only grew 3% year-over-year in Q1, and forecasts for the rest of the year are already being dialed back.

Rising economic uncertainty — including a new round of tariffs from President Trump — might make people hold off on upgrading.

Apple’s Q1 performance stands out, especially after losing ground in China.

The company dropped to third place there, caught between strong competition from local brands and regulatory hurdles that slowed down features like Apple Intelligence.

The takeaway is Apple’s pivot to a more affordable model with the 16e paid off.

If it can keep that momentum going — and stay ahead of economic curveballs — we might be watching a very different Apple strategy take shape in real time.