Global smartphone market grew 3 percent in the first quarter of 2025: Report
New Delhi: The global smartphone market grew 3 per cent year-on-year in the January-March period this year, a report said on Monday. According to preliminary results from Counterpoint Research, smartphone sales grew 3 per cent year-on-year during the quarter, led by a rise in subsidy-led demand in emerging markets and China.
The market had a mixed start to 2025, with the first quarter seeing continued improvement in economic conditions, especially in emerging markets, but mature markets such as North America, Europe and China saw a different situation after improvements in 2024. Sales in China were particularly strong in January, driven by a rise in subsidy-led demand.
Ankit Malhotra, Senior Research Analyst, said, “The momentum continued with key launches like Samsung’s S25 and iPhone 16E, but it quickly changed as economic uncertainties and trade war risks began to rise, especially towards the end of the quarter. We continue to analyze changes in policies and currently anticipate that the market will decline year-on-year in 2025 despite the growth in the first quarter.”
The original equipment manufacturer (OEM) dynamics remain interesting. Apple regained the first position in the first quarter of 2025 despite facing challenges in its largest markets, helped by the iPhone 16E launch in February and continued growth and expansion in its non-core markets.
While, sales in the US, Europe and China were either stagnant or declining, Apple recorded double-digit growth in Japan, India, the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia. Samsung ranked second after Apple with 18 per cent market share, the report showed. Though it had a slow start due to the late launch of the S25 series, its sales rebounded following the launch of the flagship S25 and new A-series devices.
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Samsung’s sales grew by double digits in March. The S25 series saw an increase in the share of “Ultra” sales. According to the report, Xiaomi continued its strong sales momentum, gaining market share, helped not only by expansion in new markets but also by growth in the domestic market.
Vivo, which ranked fourth among the top five fastest-growing brands, secured the position due to its high performance in the Chinese market and expansion in emerging markets. Oppo came in fifth and saw sales growth in India, Latin America and Europe. “New technologies such as GenAI and foldables will continue to proliferate, but OEMs need to carefully monitor demand going forward,” the report said.
