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Apple has reclaimed the top spot in the global smartphone market, ending Samsung’s 14-year run as the industry leader. New preliminary figures from the International Data Corporation show a clear shift in momentum during the final months of 2025.
Global smartphone shipments reached 336.3 million units in the last quarter of 2025. This marked a 2.3% increase compared to the same quarter in 2024. Despite supply and economic pressure, demand remained steady across key regions.
Apple shipped 81.3 million iPhones during the quarter and secured a 24.2% global market share. Strong demand for the iPhone 17 series pushed Apple to its highest quarterly revenue ever. The company also posted its best fourth-quarter growth since 2021.
Samsung slipped to second place but still ended the year on a solid note. The company shipped 61.2 million phones and captured an 18.2% market share. Its yearly growth crossed 18%, the strongest among the top five brands.
Xiaomi held third place with 37.8 million shipments and an 11.2% market share. Vivo shipped 27 million devices, while Oppo followed closely with 26.9 million units. Both brands shared the fourth position.
For the full year, the smartphone market shipped 1.26 billion units in 2025. Apple led again with a record 247.8 million shipments and a 19.7% global share. This means one out of every five phones shipped was an iPhone.
Samsung followed with 241.2 million shipments and a 19.1% market share. The company recorded 7.9% annual growth. Xiaomi shipped 165.3 million units, while vivo and Oppo each crossed just over 8 million shipments.
Even so, the market grew by 1.9% despite memory chip shortages and economic challenges. Tariffs and supply chain disruptions remained key concerns. Growth in premium phones stayed strong as buyers expected future price increases.
Looking ahead, 2026 may prove more difficult for smartphone makers. The memory chip shortage could further strain supply chains, IDC analysts warn that prices will rise, and larger brands will hold an advantage due to scale.
