Trends
Global smartphone market grows 4 % in 4Q 2025 as Apple holds leading position for third year
Global smartphone shipments grew 4 % in 4Q 25 with Apple leading the market for the third year, supported by strong iPhone 17 demand.
Headline
Global smartphone shipments grew 4 % in 4Q 25 with Apple leading the market for the third year, supported by strong iPhone 17 demand.
Context
• According to Omdia data, global smartphone shipments grew by 4 % year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2025, driven by holiday demand and strength at major brands such as Apple and Samsung. • Apple led the market with a 25 % shar e in 4Q 25 — its highest quarterly share ever — while rising component costs, memory shortages and pricing discipline are influencing vendor strategies heading into 2026. The global smartphone market rebounded in the final quarter of 2025, with overall shipments increasing by about 4 % year-on-year according to preliminary research from Omdia, part of Informa TechTarget. Seasonal demand through the holiday period, improved inventory discipline and solid performance by leading vendors contributed to this growth, even as component-related cost pressures moderated broader volume expansion.
Evidence
Pending intelligence enrichment.
Analysis
Apple maintained its position at the top of the industry in 4Q 25, capturing a 25 % market share — its strongest quarterly performance — largely due to strong global demand for its iPhone 17 series and continued sales of prior-generation models. This marked the third consecutive year that Apple finished as the world’s largest smartphone vendor, finishing slightly ahead of its nearest competitor. Samsung Electronics followed Apple in the quarter with an 18 % share of global shipments, underpinned in part by demand for its lower-price Galaxy A17 in both 4G and 5G variants, which helped maintain volume in price-sensitive segments. Chinese firms such as Xiaomi and vivo continued to hold significant shares of the market, with Xiaomi at about 11 % and vivo around 8 % in the quarter, though Xiaomi’s share fell from previous periods amid logistical challenges in some regions. Emerging brands also made movements in the rankings . OPPO re-entered the global top five in 4Q 25 as it reported sequential growth; this followed its planned business integration with realme from January 2026, a structural shift intended to consolidate offerings and streamline operations. Across the full calendar year 2025, Omdia data shows a more modest 2 % rise in total smartphone shipments to roughly 1.25 billion units, reflecting uneven demand over the year with a slow start in the first half followed by stronger uptake in the latter months.
Key Points
- What happened: smartphone shipments climb in late 2025
- Why it’s important
Actions
Pending intelligence enrichment.
