Today's Edition
A.SREENIVASA REDDY (ABU DHABI)
Smartphone market saw a robust growth globally in the first quarter of 2025, despite uncertainty created by US President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Two reputed agencies, Counterpoint Research and International Data Corporation (IDC), released their preliminary estimates for the smartphone markets for the Q1 2025.
Counterpoint gives its findings based on the sales estimates whereas the IDC gives data based on shipments.
According to Counterpoint Research Market Pulse Early Outlook, the global smartphone market grew 3% year-on-year (YoY) in Q1 2025.
Growth in emerging markets and a demand boost in China, fuelled by government subsidies, offset declines in mature markets such as North America and Europe.
Apple emerged as the top smartphone vendor globally during the first quarter, securing a 19% market share — its first-ever Q1 lead.
The launch of the iPhone 16e and strong sales in India and Japan were key contributors. “Apple recorded double-digit growth in Japan, India, Middle East and Africa, and Southeast Asia,” the report noted, despite flat or declining sales in its traditional strongholds — the US, Europe, and China.
Samsung followed closely with an 18% market share. The late launch of its Galaxy S25 series resulted in a slow start, but March saw a sales rebound.
“The share of ‘Ultra’ in the S25 series sales showed an increase”, highlighting a shift toward premium models, the report noted.
Xiaomi got 14% market share on the back of strong domestic performance and continued global expansion, aided by a more premium brand image following its successful foray into electric vehicles market.
Vivo rose to fourth place with 8% market share, becoming the fastest-growing brand in the top five, driven by high exposure to China and growth in emerging markets. OPPO ranked fifth with sales up in India, Latin America, and Europe, with its market share declining by 1% to 8%.
Outside the top five, Huawei led the Chinese market in Q1, while HONOR and Motorola showed strong growth in several international markets.
Commenting on the mixed market dynamics, Senior Research Analyst Ankit Malhotra said: “The market got off to a mixed start in 2025 but mature markets like North America, Europe and China showed signs of fatigue.”
He added: “We continue to analyse changes in policies and are currently projecting the market to decline YoY in 2025, despite growth in Q1.”
304.9 million smartphones shipped in Q1: IDC
According to preliminary data from IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, global smartphone shipments rose 1.5% YoY to 304.9 million units in Q1 2025 — a growth largely attributed to a strategic front-loading of shipments by manufacturers anticipating a potential hike in US tariffs on Chinese imports.
As noted by IDC, the shipment figures were artificially elevated as vendors rushed to push volumes into the US ahead of possible cost increases.
“Faced with heightened geopolitical uncertainty and the looming threat of substantial US tariff hikes, vendors strategically accelerated production schedules,” said Francisco Jeronimo, VP of Client Devices at IDC. This move helped manufacturers cushion against expected disruptions and price hikes, inflating Q1 shipments beyond actual consumer demand.
The US market itself grew over 5% during the quarter. “The growth was fuelled by rising consumer interest in the latest models, along with a sense of urgency to buy before potential price increases,” said Anthony Scarsella, research director at IDC.
He added that the recently announced 90-day pause on tariffs may further support Q2 sales as consumers take advantage of the temporary reprieve.
Despite the pause, IDC warned that the ongoing uncertainty around US-China trade relations continues to complicate future planning. “Heavy reliance on China’s supply chain persists, making future planning challenging,” noted Ryan Reith, group VP at IDC.
On the vendor front, Samsung reclaimed the top spot globally, thanks to strong shipments of its Galaxy S25 flagship and the mid-range A36 and A56 models, which integrated AI features at more accessible price points. Apple recorded its best-ever Q1 in terms of units shipped, stockpiling ahead of tariffs. However, its performance in China declined, as its premium models fell outside the scope of local subsidies.
Xiaomi was at the third place with 13.7% market share with its performance mainly driven by its growth in China due to the subsidies.
OPPO retained its 4th position with 7.7% market share despite decline in shipments driven by a weaker performance in the international markets.
Vivo experienced substantial growth of 6.3% YoY with market share of 7.4%, driven by the subsidies in China, but also the growth in the international markets, with strong performance from low-end devices and the V series.
