Counterpoint: Global smartphone shipments increase by 3% year-on-year, Samsung regains the top spot in the market.

According to preliminary data from Counterpoint Research's Market Monitor service, global smartphone shipments in Q1 2025 increased by 3% year-on-year. Following a decline in 2023 and growth in 2024, the global smartphone market started 2025 on a positive note, mainly driven by markets in China, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. Regarding the market performance, Senior Analyst Yang Wang of Counterpoint commented, "The Q1 growth rate did not meet our previous expectation of 6%, mainly due to increased uncertainty in tariff policies at the end of the quarter and cautious inventory strategies by manufacturers. The current market uncertainty still exists, which will affect future trends. Therefore, our previous forecast of 4% growth in 2025 may be difficult to achieve, and this year may even see zero or negative growth." The global market share of the top five smartphone brands (preliminary data) Data source: Counterpoint Research preliminary market monitoring data Notes: OPPO includes OnePlus, and due to rounding, the percentage total may not equal 100% Global smartphone shipments of the top five brands (in millions, preliminary data) Regarding manufacturer performance, Senior Analyst Jene Park of Counterpoint commented, "Samsung regained the top spot in the market in Q1 2025 with the release of the Galaxy S25 series and updates to the mid-range A series. Apple (AAPL.US) rarel released the new iPhone 16e in Q1, helping it increase its share in specific markets like Japan." According to actual sales reports, Apple ranked first in actual sales in Q1 but slipped to second place in shipment rankings. However, Apple's performance this quarter still set a record for the best Q1 of recent years, almost on par with Samsung. The demand for the iPhone 16 series was strong in emerging markets such as Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa, where Apple saw double-digit growth. Preliminary data shows that Xiaomi (01810) continued its growth momentum, staying in third place with a 2% year-on-year growth, mainly due to its strong comeback in the domestic market of China through retail channels and product line expansion. OPPO and vivo ranked fourth and fifth with a slight difference, both benefiting from the performance of mid-range models and China's subsidy policies. However, the biggest winner of the subsidy policy is Huawei, which led the industry in growth for the quarter and now occupies the top position in the Chinese market.