Smartphone Market Bounces Back: Samsung Still Leads Global Sales

Smartphone Market Bounces Back—Samsung Still on Top

1. The Headline: Growth Returns

Global smartphone shipments hit 322.7 million units in Q3 2025, up 2.6 % year-on-year and the third consecutive quarter of gains after a flat first half, according to IDC . Omdia and Counterpoint Research echo the figure, pegging growth at 3 % . Inventory corrections, back-to-school promos and festive pre-stocking finally aligned, giving vendors their strongest July-September performance on record.

2. Samsung Extends Its Crown

• 61.4 million units shipped; 19 % market share—its best Q3 ever .

• Galaxy Z Fold 7 / Flip 7 drove premium buzz while Galaxy A07 / A17 swept mid-tier Asia and MEA .

• Foldables now account for 8 % of Samsung’s total volume, double the share of a year ago .

3. Apple Stays Close Behind

• 58.6 million iPhones; 18.2 % share—also a quarterly record—thanks to robust iPhone 17 pre-orders and higher-storage base models that kept ASPs flat .

• India and MEA delivered double-digit growth for Cupertino, offsetting a softer China .

4. Xiaomi, Transsion & Vivo Fill the Top Five

Transsion’s Tecno and Infinix brands cracked the global top-five in Q3 25 by flooding Africa and parts of Asia with sub-$100 4G handsets: the 29.2 million units shipped represent a 13.6 % year-on-year jump, directly feeding off the continent’s 25 % smartphone-demand spike and proving that ultra-cheap connectivity still moves volumes when marquee features are stripped down to the bare essentials.

5. What Fuelled the Rebound?

• Premium innovation: AI summarisation, 1-inch sensors, foldable glass.

• Trade-in & financing: zero-interest plans and $700-plus flagships now feel “affordable.”

• Inventory clean-up: channels finally digested H1 excess, letting new models breathe .

6. Regional Scorecard

• MEA +25 % – Transsion push, festive stocking.

• India +9 % – early Diwali, iPhone 17 base model.

• North America -2 % – post-tariff pull-forward in Q1 left shelves thin.

• China -3 % – subsidy fatigue, Huawei comeback still niche .

7. The Foldable Wild Card

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 outsold all previous foldables in its first quarter, validating the book-style form factor and encouraging Oppo, Honor and Google to accelerate 2026 roll-outs . IDC notes foldables grew 42 % YoY even as the total market rose only 2.6 %.

8. Looking Ahead: Can the Momentum Last?

Analysts expect Q4 25 shipments to climb another 4 %, crossing 330 M units on holiday discounts and India’s wedding season. Risks remain: China economic slowdown, US tariff policy uncertainty and mid-range weakness—but for now Samsung’s diversified portfolio and Apple’s value-storage play keep the rebound alive.

Bottom Line

Samsung’s hardware breadth (flagship foldables + cheap A-series) and Apple’s ecosystem stickiness have steered the smartphone market back to growth. If AI features evolve from gimmick to genuine utility—and 5G subsidies return in emerging markets—2025 could finish stronger than any year since 2021.

Sources

• IDC – Worldwide Smartphone Market Grows 2.6 % in Q3 2025 – 13 Oct 2025

• AppleInsider – Apple & Samsung lead the rebound as phone sales rise globally – 14 Oct 2025

• Omdia – Global smartphone market grows 3 % in Q3 2025 – 30 Oct 2025

• Counterpoint Research – Global Smartphone Shipments Up 4 % YoY in Q3 2025 – 15 Oct 2025

• PhoneArena – Samsung beats Apple again, but you wouldn’t guess the fastest-growing brand – 31 Oct 2025

• PhoneArena – Samsung beats Apple for a third straight quarter – 14 Oct 2025

• Telecoms.com – Global smartphone shipments grew 3 % in Q3 – 31 Oct 2025

• 9to5Google – Samsung beats Apple in global shipments again – 31 Oct 2025

• ChannelNews – Global smartphone shipments rise 3 % as emerging markets drive recovery – 30 Oct 2025

• Android Headlines – Global Smartphone Market Grows 3 % in Q3 2025 – 31 Oct 2025