According to the latest research from TechInsights' mobile terminal market team, global smartphone shipments in the first quarter of 2025 are expected to grow by 0.5% year-on-year, reaching 296.8 million units, marking six consecutive quarters of recovery. However, the growth rate has fallen to single digits for three consecutive quarters. Global smartphone wholesale revenue reached $100 billion, unchanged from last year. The average selling price (ASP) of smartphones decreased by 0.6% year-on-year to $337.
The recovery of the smartphone market is mainly attributed to healthy demand in the Chinese market (benefiting from smartphone subsidies), growth in the Middle East and Africa, and the preemptive stockpiling of iPhones in the United States in response to tariffs. In contrast, Latin America, Western Europe, and Central and Eastern Europe have seen declines due to geopolitical tensions, unclear macroeconomic conditions leading to uneven consumer demand, and extended replacement cycles.
In the first quarter of 2025, Samsung ranked first in the global smartphone market with a market share of 20.4%. Apple (AAPL.US) ranked second with an 18.4% market share. Xiaomi (01810), OPPO (including OnePlus), and vivo rounded out the top five, followed by Transsion (688036.SH), Honor, Huawei, Lenovo-Motorola, and realme. Among the top ten manufacturers, Samsung, Apple, Xiaomi, vivo, Huawei, and Lenovo-Motorola saw an upward trend in shipments, while the other four manufacturers (Transsion, OPPO (including OnePlus), Honor, and realme) experienced annual declines.
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Figure 1: Global smartphone shipments and market share in Q1 2025
Samsung's global smartphone shipments reached 60.6 million units, accounting for 20.4% of the market share, remaining basically flat compared to the same period last year. Samsung leads the market, with smartphone shipments growing by 1.0% year-on-year this quarter, slightly above the overall market and many competitors. The Galaxy 25 series performed better than expected, achieving healthy growth, especially the most expensive S25 Ultra. However, demand for foldable and flip models remains mixed. Samsung's performance in mature markets is still unsatisfactory, but its performance in Latin America and the Middle East and Africa stabilized and improved this quarter. Samsung ranks first in Latin America and Africa, and the Middle East, and second in North America, Western Europe, and Central and Eastern Europe.
Apple's global iPhone shipments this quarter reached 54.7 million units, a year-on-year increase of 11.2%. Apple ranked second with a market share of 18.4%, slightly up from 16.7% in the same period last year. Except for Central and Eastern Europe, Apple achieved annual growth in all other regions and most markets this quarter, mainly due to the popularity of the newly launched iPhone 16e model in the United States and Japan. Additionally, to respond to tariffs in February and March, Apple preemptively stockpiled iPhones in the U.S. market, resulting in a year-on-year growth rate of 21% in the U.S. market
Japan, India, and Southeast Asia also achieved double-digit growth rates this quarter. Apple's decline in China has eased this quarter, with iPhone shipments down 1% year-on-year. Government subsidies for smartphones have helped Apple in the Chinese smartphone market, but the effect is far less than that of other Chinese brands like Huawei and Xiaomi.
Xiaomi remains in third place, with global smartphone shipments of 41.9 million units this quarter, a year-on-year increase of 2.7%, capturing a market share of 14.1%. Notably, this Chinese manufacturer has maintained an upward trend for seven consecutive quarters. Xiaomi's performance has outpaced the overall market, but the year-on-year growth rate has dropped to single digits this quarter. Xiaomi's strong performance in the Chinese market (40% year-on-year growth) exceeded expectations, mainly due to healthy demand for the Redmi K80/K70 series and Mi15 series stimulated by smartphone subsidies. This quarter, Xiaomi's market share in the Chinese smartphone market was 19.4%, ranking second, significantly up from the same period last year (14.8%). Xiaomi's performance in India remains unsatisfactory due to management changes, inventory adjustments, and intensified competition from brands like vivo. Xiaomi's shipments in the Indian smartphone market saw a double-digit decline, ranking fourth behind vivo, Samsung, and OPPO (including OnePlus). Xiaomi ranks first in the Asia-Pacific and Central and Eastern Europe regions, second in Latin America, and third in Western Europe and the Middle East.
OPPO (including OnePlus) shipped 23 million units, rising to fourth place in Q1 2025, with a market share of 7.7%. However, both OPPO and OnePlus brands experienced declines this quarter, with a combined year-on-year decrease of 7.3%. OPPO brand shipments were 20.2 million units, while OnePlus brand shipments were 2.8 million units. The OnePlus brand performed mediocrely in all major regions/countries outside of China, but in the Chinese market, thanks to subsidies and the newly launched Ace 5 series, OnePlus achieved healthy growth. The OPPO brand saw a decline in the Chinese and Southeast Asian markets this quarter, but maintained stable performance in India and other regions.
vivo's global smartphone shipments this quarter were 22.6 million units, a year-on-year increase of 7.1%, with a market share of 7.6%, ranking fifth. vivo continued to lead the Indian market this quarter, achieving double-digit growth in shipments. This marks the third consecutive quarter that vivo has ranked first in the Indian market. However, in the Chinese market, vivo ceded its leading position to Huawei, falling behind Xiaomi and OPPO (including OnePlus). Shipments for vivo in other regions are still in the early stages.
Transsion (including Tecno, Infinix, and itel) fell to sixth place this quarter. The combined shipments of these three brands were 22.1 million units, a year-on-year decline of 22.5%, with a market share of 7.4%. The revenue and ASP data for these three brands are also uneven, leading to a significant decline in profitability in Q1 2025. This quarter, Transsion lost its leading position in the Middle East and Africa, overtaken by Samsung. Meanwhile, competition in the low-end 4G and 5G segments in India and other emerging markets is also intensifying, mainly from Samsung, vivo, Xiaomi, and Lenovo-Motorola
Honor showed a downward trend this quarter, ranking seventh with a 5% market share. Its smartphone shipments decreased by 5% year-on-year. This quarter, approximately 56% of Honor's shipments came from the Chinese market, but in China, Honor's shipments fell by 15% year-on-year, with market share being eroded by brands such as Huawei and Xiaomi. Honor's growth momentum in overseas markets continued this quarter, especially in Southeast Asia, where Honor has newly entered the Indonesian market. However, TechInsights warns that management changes will continue to affect Honor's strategy and execution in the coming quarters.
Huawei rose to eighth place this quarter, with smartphone shipments increasing by 28% year-on-year, accelerating compared to previous quarters. In the Chinese market, Huawei's shipments grew by 31% year-on-year, ranking first this quarter. This is Huawei's first time topping the Chinese smartphone market since 2021. The Mate 70, Pura 70, Nova 13 series, low-end Enjoy 70X, and several foldable and flip models achieved good performance this quarter, driven by subsidy policies in the Chinese market.
realme ranked tenth this quarter, with a market share of nearly 4%. In the first quarter of 2025, realme's shipments decreased by 6% year-on-year, mainly due to a decline in shipments in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East-Africa regions. realme maintained a top five position in Central and Eastern Europe but fell off the list in the Africa-Middle East region.
Among the top ten global brands, six manufacturers achieved annual growth in the first quarter of 2025. Huawei led with a 28% annual growth rate, followed by Apple (11%), vivo (7%), Lenovo-Motorola (7%), Xiaomi (3%), and Samsung (1%). Eight of the ten brands, all Chinese, saw a combined year-on-year shipment decline of 2%, underperforming the overall market (which grew by 0.5% year-on-year). Given the increasing risks and uncertainties brought about by the tariff war and varying consumer purchasing power, TechInsights has lowered its global smartphone shipment forecast.
TechInsights expects global smartphone shipments to decline by 1% year-on-year in 2025. Apple and Samsung will continue to hold the top two positions in 2025. Huawei's return to the 5G field will continue to reshape the smartphone market landscape in China and globally, but this recovery path may be fraught with challenges, and quarterly performance may vary

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AAPL

According to research by TechInsights, global smartphone shipments in the first quarter of 2025 increased by 0.5% year-on-year, reaching 296.8 million units, marking a recovery for six consecutive quarters. Although the growth rate has fallen to single digits, global wholesale revenue remains at $100 billion, with the average selling price decreasing by 0.6% to $337. The market recovery is mainly attributed to demand from China, the Middle East, and Africa, while Latin America and Western Europe have seen declines due to geopolitical and economic uncertainties. Samsung leads with a 20.4% market share, followed by Apple

- In Q1 2025, global smartphone shipments increased by 0.5% year-on-year to 296.8 million units, marking six consecutive quarters of recovery, although growth rates have fallen to single digits for three quarters.  
- Samsung led the market with a 20.4% share, followed by Apple at 18.4%, while Xiaomi, OPPO, and vivo rounded out the top five, with varying performance across regions.  
- TechInsights has revised its global smartphone shipment forecast, predicting a 1% decline for 2025 due to geopolitical tensions and fluctuating consumer demand.

Zhitong

TechInsights: In Q1 2025, global smartphone shipments increased by 0.5% year-on-year, reaching 296.8 million units