Global Smartphone Shipments Rise By 1% In Q2 2025 with Samsung Leading the Pack: IDC Report

According to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, global smartphone shipments increased by 1.0% year-over-year in Q2 2025, reaching 295.2 million units. Despite this growth, the market faced challenges due to macroeconomic pressures such as currency fluctuations, inflation, unemployment, and tariff uncertainties. These factors particularly impacted the budget segment, slowing down momentum for low-end Android devices.

Samsung led the market with 58 million units shipped, capturing a 19.7% share globally. Apple followed with 46.4 million shipments, securing a 15.7% slice of the market. Xiaomi shipped 42.5 million devices, accounting for 14.4% of global shipments. Vivo reached 27.1 million units, holding a 9.2% share globally, while Transsion contributed 25.1 million shipments, representing 8.5% of the market.

Economic Pressures Impact Budget Segment

The entry-level smartphone segment experienced weaker demand as economic uncertainty influenced consumer spending habits. Nabila Popal, Senior Research Director at IDC, noted that price-sensitive buyers are delaying purchases, which has slowed growth in this category. In China, expectations were not met in Q2 due to limited impact from subsidies and weak consumer interest.

During China's 618 e-commerce festival, strong sell-through was observed; however, it primarily served as a platform for clearing excess inventory rather than boosting new shipments. OEMs and retailers focused on reducing stock levels during this period.

Samsung's AI-Driven Models Gain Traction

Samsung strengthened its lead in the global smartphone market by outperforming the broader industry during Q2 2025. Francisco Jeronimo, Vice President of Client Devices at IDC, attributed this growth to solid sales of the Galaxy A36 and A56 models. These mid-range devices introduced AI-powered features that attracted customer interest through effective in-store experiences.

Apple maintained its position as the top-selling brand during the festival period but reported a 1% year-over-year decline in China for the quarter. However, strong double-digit growth in emerging markets helped Apple achieve a 1.5% increase in global shipments.

Sustained Growth Amid Global Challenges

The smartphone market recorded its eighth consecutive quarter of growth despite global challenges such as geopolitical tensions and tariff impacts—an achievement not seen since 2013. Anthony Scarsella, Research Director at IDC, highlighted that Q2 featured a broad range of new devices with innovative design and integrated AI capabilities that helped sustain momentum across the market.

In total, the industry shipped 295.2 million smartphones in Q2 2025 with other brands collectively shipping 96.1 million units—making up 32.6% of global volume. This steady growth amidst complex global issues signals a hopeful return to growth for the smartphone industry.