The latest data from International Data Corporation (IDC) shows that global smartphone shipments reached 322.7 million units in the third quarter of 2025, a year-on-year increase of 2.6%, continuing the recovery. The high-end market was the primary driver, with innovative designs and cost-effective AI models driving consumer replacement demand.
Samsung maintained its top spot with 61.4 million units shipped, representing a 19% market share and a year-on-year increase of 6.3%. Apple followed closely with 58.6 million units, representing an 18.2% share and a growth rate of 2.9%. Xiaomi ranked third with 43.5 million units shipped. Transsion jumped to fourth with a 13.6% year-on-year increase (29.2 million units), while Vivo ranked fifth with 28.8 million units shipped. Notably, Transsion performed strongly in the African market, and its 9% global share highlights the potential of emerging markets.
In the Chinese market, Vivo, Apple, Huawei, and Xiaomi ranked in the top four, with OPPO and Honor tied for fifth. Although shipments in China fell 0.6% year-on-year to 68.4 million units in the quarter, IDC noted that the market is expected to rebound in the early fourth quarter with the launch of new flagship products in late September. Analysts emphasized that manufacturers need to respond to competition through differentiated products and reasonable pricing, rather than relying solely on promotions.
