Samsung Dominates Global Smartphone Sales

 Samsung Dominates Global Smartphone Sales

IDC Report: Samsung Dominates Global Smartphone Sales

Samsung dominated the global smartphone market during the second quarter of 2025, achieving significant growth and maintaining its leadership. Meanwhile, Apple faced difficulties in China and saw modest growth in global iPhone shipments, largely due to emerging markets.

Preliminary figures from the IDC Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker show that Apple shipped 46.4 million iPhones in the second quarter, registering a modest 1.5% growth compared to last year. The company saw a 1% decline in shipments in China, but this decline was offset by strong double-digit growth in emerging markets. Apple remains the world's second-largest smartphone company with a 15.7% market share.

Samsung is the undisputed market leader with a 19.7% market share. The company shipped 58 million units in the second quarter, achieving a remarkable 7.9% year-over-year growth. This growth was driven by the Galaxy A36 and Galaxy A56, which introduced Galaxy AI features to mid-range devices.

"Samsung was able to consolidate its market leadership and outperform the overall market, achieving strong growth during the quarter, driven by sales of its new Galaxy A36 and A56," said Francisco Jeronimo, vice president, client devices at IDC. "These two new products introduce AI-powered features to mid-range devices, and these features were effectively used in retail to drive sales, as consumers become increasingly interested in AI."

Xiaomi came in third with 42.5 million units shipped, representing a 14.4% market share. The Chinese company's growth did not exceed 0.6%. Vivo (27.1 million shipments) and Transsion (25.1 million shipments) ranked fourth and fifth. The overall smartphone market grew by only 1% year-on-year, highlighting some of the challenges it faces.

Total shipments in the second quarter reached 295.2 million units worldwide. These results come amid increasing uncertainty and economic pressures, such as unemployment and inflation, across various regions. Apple wasn't the only company struggling in China. According to the IDC report, the lower-than-expected performance of the Chinese market led to a decline in global shipments. Looking ahead, IDC's forecast is somewhat positive.

Researchers note that the second quarter of 2025 was the eighth consecutive quarter of growth, something not seen since 2013, and this trend may continue. AI-powered smartphones and mid-range devices may be the drivers of future growth.