Apple Reclaims Global Lead as Smartphone Market Grows in 2025

Email: online@newsofbahrain.com

Global smartphone shipments grew by 2% year-on-year in 2025, marking a second consecutive year of recovery for the industry. According to the latest report from Counterpoint Research, the growth was primarily fueled by a resurgence in demand across emerging markets and a significant ‘upgrade cycle’ from users replacing devices purchased during the pandemic.

Apple emerged as the market leader for 2025, capturing a 20% share of total global shipments. The tech giant's success was anchored by record-breaking sales of the iPhone 17 series and sustained interest in the iPhone 16 in key regions such as India and Japan. Analysts noted that Apple’s strategic expansion into mid-sized and emerging markets has paid off, allowing it to overtake Samsung in annual volume for the first time in over a decade.

Samsung followed closely in second place with a 19% market share, recording modest growth. While Samsung maintained dominance in several mid-tier segments with its Galaxy A-series, the premium market saw intense competition from Apple’s newest releases. Xiaomi secured the third position with a 13% share, bolstered by its aggressive expansion into Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America.

The year was not without its hurdles. Manufacturers reportedly front-loaded shipments in the first half of 2025 to mitigate the impact of shifting trade tariffs. While this created a temporary surge in inventory, the market stabilized in the second half of the year.

Looking ahead, experts warn of a cooling period in 2026. Counterpoint Research Director Tarun Pathak noted that the industry is facing a significant shortage of DRAM and NAND memory chips. This is largely due to semiconductor giants prioritizing high-margin AI data centers over consumer handsets.

As a result, smartphone prices are expected to rise by an average of 6.9% in 2026. While Apple and Samsung are expected to remain resilient due to their premium positioning, smaller manufacturers, particularly those in the budget segment, may be forced to downgrade hardware specifications or prune their product portfolios to survive the rising component costs.