Global smartphone shipments grew 2% year over year in 2025, marking the second consecutive year of growth, according to preliminary estimates from Counterpoint Research’s Market Monitor. Apple led the market for the full year, taking the top spot in both shipments and market share.
Counterpoint said growth in 2025 was supported by more consumers upgrading to higher-priced smartphones, helped by financing options, and by rising demand for 5G devices in emerging markets. The recovery, however, remained uneven across regions and quarters.
“In 2025, the smartphone market continued its gradual shift toward higher price tiers, driven by consumers upgrading to premium devices,” said Shilpi Jain, senior analyst at Counterpoint. “At the same time, demand for 5G handsets rose sharply across developing regions.”
Jain noted that concerns over possible tariffs pushed smartphone makers to ship more units in the first half of the year. As the year progressed, the impact of tariffs turned out to be milder than expected, limiting their effect on shipments in the second half. Growth varied widely by region, with Japan, the Middle East and Africa, and parts of Asia-Pacific offsetting weaker demand in mature markets.
Apple closed 2025 as the leading smartphone brand globally, capturing a 20% market share and posting 10% year-over-year shipment growth, the strongest performance among the top 5 vendors. In the fourth quarter alone, Apple accounted for around one-fourth of global smartphone shipments, its highest quarterly share to date.
“Apple’s growth in 2025 was driven by its expanding presence and rising demand across emerging and mid-size markets, supported by a stronger product mix,” said Varun Mishra, senior analyst at Counterpoint. “The iPhone 17 series gained strong traction in Q4 following its launch, while the iPhone 16 continued to perform well in Japan, India, and Southeast Asia.”
Samsung ranked second for the year with a 19% market share and 5% shipment growth. Demand for the Galaxy A series supported volumes in the mid-range segment, while newer foldable and flagship models helped sustain interest in premium devices. Growth in Japan and other core markets partly offset weaker performance in Latin America and Western Europe.
Xiaomi held on to third place with a 13% share, supported by stable demand in emerging markets and a balanced mix of flagship and mid-tier models. vivo placed fourth with 3% growth, while OPPO saw shipments decline 4% due to weaker demand in China and parts of Asia-Pacific. If combined with realme, the group’s 2025 market share would reach 11%.
Counterpoint expects global smartphone shipments to soften in 2026 due to memory shortages and higher component costs.
“Price increases have already started to appear,” said Tarun Patha, research director at Counterpoint, adding that the firm has cut its 2026 shipment forecast by 3%.