Canalys has released a new report on global smartphone shipments. According to the data, 296.9 million units were shipped in the first quarter of 2025, up just 0.2% year-on-year. Shipments increased in China and the US, but fell in India, Europe, and the Middle East.
Image source: Canalys
The decline in India, Latin America, and the Middle East points to market saturation. While these regions saw sales growth in Q4 2024, consumers were reluctant to buy new devices in the first quarter of this year. In Europe, suppliers have been dealing with high stock levels of flagship models since late last year and disruptions in mid- and low-end products due to the upcoming eco-design directive.
In Africa, “retail activity” and “proactive market expansion efforts” by smartphone makers helped boost sales, with companies like Vivo and Honor reporting double-digit growth in their overseas markets, while Honor overall posted an all-time high in shipments outside China, analysts said.
Apple increased shipments of its smartphones to the U.S. market ahead of new import tariffs to try to avoid additional costs. While most iPhones are still made in China, the company ramped up production of the iPhone 15 and 16 models in India toward the end of the quarter, and also increased production of the iPhone 16 Pro.
In terms of market share, Samsung retained its lead in Q1 2025, with a 20% share (60.5 million units), followed by Apple with a 19% share (55 million units), largely due to stockpiling in March. Xiaomi remained in third place with a 14% share (41.8 million units), while Vivo and Oppo rounded out the top five, with 22.9 and 22.7 million units shipped, respectively.
Canalys notes that major brands remain “optimistic” about the market recovery in the second quarter. Reducing inventory levels and new product launches should improve sales efficiency, but competition in the mid-price segment (devices priced between $200 and $400) will become increasingly fierce. Analysts also believe that escalating global trade tensions could prompt countries to localize smartphone production, which would require additional investment and reduce costs.