The global smartphone market saw minimal growth in the first quarter of 2025, with shipments reaching 296.9 million units — up just 0.2% year over year, according to new data from market analyst firm Canalys, now part of Omdia.
Samsung held on to its lead, shipping 60.5 million smartphones, boosted by its new flagship and A-series devices. Apple followed with 55 million units shipped, supported by strong sales in the United States and parts of Asia Pacific. Xiaomi ranked third with 41.8 million shipments and a 14% market share, while vivo and Oppo came next with 22.9 million and 22.7 million units, respectively.
Mixed results across regions
“The regional smartphone landscape is becoming increasingly complex,” said Toby Zhu, principal analyst at Canalys. “Markets that had shown strong momentum over the past year, such as India, Latin America, and the Middle East, are now experiencing notable declines in Q1 2025, indicating saturation in replacement demand for mass-market products.”
Zhu explained that many Android brands made inventory adjustments in early 2025 to manage pricing and avoid delays in new product releases. Europe saw another drop due to leftover inventory and supply disruptions ahead of the new eco-design directive.
“Nonetheless, some regions are still demonstrating strong demand,” Zhu said. “Government subsidy programs stimulated Mainland China’s growth, while Africa continued to benefit from vibrant retail activities and proactive market expansion efforts. Vendors can still expand by optimizing their product portfolios in this complex regional environment. For instance, vivo and Honor achieved double-digit growth in their overseas markets, with Honor reaching a historic high in its overseas shipments.”
Apple and the shifting US market
“The US smartphone market stood out, growing 12% year on year in Q1, primarily driven by Apple,” said Le Xuan Chiew, research manager at Canalys. “Apple proactively built up inventory ahead of anticipated tariff policies. While iPhones produced in Mainland China still account for the majority of US shipments, production in India ramped up toward the end of the quarter, covering standard models of the iPhone 15 and 16 series, alongside accelerating production of the 16 Pro series.”
Canalys said leading brands have not yet changed their shipment goals for the year. Despite the weak start, some markets showed signs of recovery in March. Still, vendors face rising costs, intense mid-range competition, and geopolitical uncertainty that could push more countries to demand local smartphone production.
Get the latest before it trends. Follow Back End News on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, YouTube, and TikTok for real-time updates and in-depth coverage across the tech and security landscape.