According to the latest report from Canalys, the global smartphone market showed moderate growth of 0.2% in Q1 2025, with total shipments reaching 296.9 million units. While the markets in China and the United States showed an increase, several other regions such as India, Europe and the Middle East experienced a decline due to consumers’ cautious attitude in purchasing new devices.
India, Latin America and the Middle East recorded a decline in smartphone sales as most consumers are still satisfied with their devices and are more cautious in making new purchases. Europe, on the other hand, experienced a high stock of products after shipments last year. In fact, ahead of the implementation of new European Union regulations, most manufacturers are also required to offer devices that are easy to repair and longer software support. However, these regulations will only apply to devices imported after 2025.
The smartphone market in Africa is also growing rapidly with increased retail sales by major brands such as vivo and Honor, with Honor reaching its highest sales record in its history. Meanwhile, in the United States, Apple increased shipments before the tariffs took effect in an attempt to mitigate the impact of rising costs. However, this move had a major impact on affordable smartphones, causing prices to rise.
In terms of market share, Samsung remained the industry leader with a 20% market share, shipping 60.5 million units, up 1% year-on-year. Apple came in second with a 19% market share thanks to a large March stock purchase and then posted a 55.0 million unit shipment and a 13% year-on-year growth.
Xiaomi ranked third with a 14% market share, shipping 41.8 million units, up 3% year-on-year. Meanwhile, vivo's year-on-year growth increased by 7%, reaching 8% market share with 22.9 million unit shipments. Oppo, on the other hand, experienced a 9% decline, contributing 8% market share with 22.7 million device shipments.