According to new data from Counterpoint Research, the global smartphone market grew by 3% year over year in the first quarter of 2025. Apple grabbed the top spot with a 19% market share, beating Samsung in this regard. The South Korean tech company followed closely with an 18% market share. This comes as a surprise to many who believe Samsung’s slow start to 2025 is due to its delay in launching the S25 series.
What Contributed to Samsung’s Slow Start?
The beginning of 2025 has been a bit sluggish for Samsung. The South Korean tech giant delayed launching its flagship Galaxy S25 series, missing the Q1 momentum. Apple, on the other hand, benefited from Samsung’s delay. The Cupertino company also released the budget-friendly iPhone 16e, even in a quarter when Apple isn’t known for launching new models.
However, Samsung bounced back at the close of Q1, hitting double-digit growth for March. The S25 models particularly contributed massively to this growth after gaining strong consumer demand. Nonetheless, coming in late still gave Apple the edge, topping the first quarter by 1% ahead of Samsung.
Three Chinese Brands Made it to the Top 5
Coming in third place is Chinese tech giant Xiaomi. The company that started as a more affordable brand is seeing a gradual shift to more premium devices. Its entry into the electric vehicle market also contributed to its growth. Vivo also climbed to the fourth position. The company is currently doing very well in both home and international markets. Rounding up the top 5 comes OPPO, another Chinese brand that makes premium devices for a fraction of the price of other competing devices.
Other Brands Also Made Gains for the First Quarter
Even though these brands couldn’t cut the top five, they also made reasonable gains in terms of growth. Huawei continued its comeback trend by making gains in the Chinese market. On the global stage, Honor and Motorola also saw an increase in their market shares.
All other brands under the “other” category occupied a total market share of 33% in the global smartphone market.
Warning Signs Ahead
Despite the positive Q1 numbers, Counterpoint Research warned of a potential downturn in 2025. The firm said rising economic uncertainty and tariff pressures may hurt consumer demand, especially in the U.S. This could slow down growth in the months ahead.
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