Global smartphone shipments grew 2.3% year over year to 336.3 million units in the fourth quarter of 2025 (Q4 2025), according to the latest data from market intelligence firm International Data Corp. Total shipments reached 1.26 billion units for the full year, despite a memory shortage that affected supply late in the year.
IDC said demand held up as buyers continued to favor higher priced devices, foldable phones gained traction, and some consumers bought earlier than planned in anticipation of price increases. These factors helped offset supply constraints and broader economic pressure in several markets.
“Interestingly, premium vendors Apple and Samsung were the primary growth drivers, posting the highest growth rates amongst the Top 5 at 6.3% and 7.9%, respectively,” said Nabila Popal, senior research director for Worldwide Client Devices, IDC.
Apple remained the largest smartphone vendor for the third straight year. IDC said shipments reached a record level, supported by a recovery in China tied to demand for the iPhone 17 series. Apple and Samsung together increased their combined market share to 39% from 37% a year earlier, reflecting a continued shift toward higher priced devices.
“Despite a challenging year marked by tariff volatility, supply chain disruption, and persistent macroeconomic headwinds across several markets, the global smartphone market demonstrated resilience, closing 2025 with 1.9% year over year growth,” Popal said.
“Samsung delivered its highest Q4 growth since 2013, driven by sales of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and AI-enabled Galaxy A series devices, while Apple achieved its best fourth quarter since 2021 and delivered its highest ever revenue in a single quarter, reflecting demand for the iPhone 17 lineup,” said Francisco Jeronimo, vice president for Worldwide Client Devices, IDC.
Other major vendors largely held their ground. Xiaomi kept its third place position for both the quarter and the year, although shipments fell by double digits in Q4 as it worked to move its lineup to higher price tiers and faced stronger competition in China. Vivo continued to rely heavily on India for growth. OPPO posted better Q4 results due to new products and stronger sales in China, though full year results were limited by weaker demand outside China.
“While 2025 was a positive year for smartphones, the industry now faces a different outlook,” said Ryan Reith, group vice president for Worldwide Client Devices at IDC. “The memory shortage, widely viewed as an unprecedented supply chain disruption, is expected to push the market into decline in 2026.”
IDC said the duration of the shortage will determine how much the market contracts. Larger manufacturers are better positioned to secure supply and manage pricing, while average selling prices are expected to rise due to higher costs.