New Delhi: The global smartphone market grew 3 percent (on-year) in the January-March period (Q1) this year, a report said on Monday.
Smartphone sales grew 3 per cent year-on-year during the quarter, led by growth in emerging markets and a rise in subsidy-led demand in China, according to preliminary results from Counterpoint Research.
The market got off to a mixed start in 2025, with Q1 seeing continued improvement in economic conditions, especially in emerging markets. But mature markets such as North America, Europe and China showed signs of fatigue after the recovery in 2024.
Sales were particularly strong in January, driven by a rise in subsidy-led demand in China.
Senior Research Analyst Ankit Malhotra 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 are currently forecasting that the market will decline year-on-year in 2025 despite the growth in Q1.”
Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) dynamics remain interesting. Helped by the iPhone 16e launch in a non-traditional quarter and continued growth and expansion in its non-core markets, Apple regained the top spot in Q1 2025 despite facing challenges in its largest markets.
While sales in the US, Europe, and China were either stagnant or declining, Apple recorded double-digit growth in Japan, India, Middle East and Africa, and Southeast Asia. Samsung ranked second after Apple with 18 percent market share, the report mentioned.
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.
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 into new markets, but also significant growth in the domestic market, where the brand is enjoying a bigger and more ‘premium’ brand presence due to its successful entry into electric vehicles.
Rounding out the top five fastest-growing brands, Vivo secured fourth place due to its high performance in the China market and expansion into 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.
