Smartphone shipments saw only a slight growth of 1% in the last quarter of 2025, while global shipments during the entire year rose by 2% according to preliminary data from Counterpoint Research. On the positive side, this is the second consecutive year of growth.
With the expected result, Apple topped the list of the largest smartphone manufacturers in the world with a market share of 20%, meaning that 1 out of every 5 phones shipped in 2025 carried the Apple logo. Apple led the way in growth among the five largest manufacturers, with its shipments increasing by 10% year-on-year.
The iPhone 16 performed well in Japan, India and Southeast Asia, while the new iPhone 17 series saw increasing demand.
The Counterpoint report indicates that the effects of the Covid pandemic on the phone upgrade cycle led to an increase in the number of users wishing to upgrade during 2025, which contributed to achieving this strong growth.
On the other hand, Samsung ranked second, with its shipments growing by 5%, which is a good performance compared to the rest of the companies in the top five. The Galaxy S25 series, in addition to the Galaxy Z Fold7, contributed to boosting Samsung’s sales in the flagship phone category, while the growing demand for the Galaxy A series supported the company in the mid-range category.
Xiaomi maintained its third position with a stable market share of 13%, focusing on the markets of South America and Southeast Asia.
While Vivo grew by 3%, exceeding Oppo, which recorded a decline of 4%, analysts attributed this change to the strong demand for Vivo phones in India, compared to the intense competition that Oppo faced in China and Asia-Pacific.
Although not in the top five, Counterpoint indicated that Nothing and Google will grow by 31% and 25%, respectively, during 2025.
As for the future, the market is facing pressure due to rising memory prices, which may break the annual growth streak. Research Director Tarun Pathak stated, “The global smartphone market will witness a slowdown in 2026 due to shortages of DRAM and NAND chips and rising component costs, with AI data centers being prioritized at the expense of phones.”
The increase in phone prices has already begun to appear, and accordingly we have revised our forecast for 2026 to reduce phone shipments by 3%.”
