According to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, global smartphone shipments increased 1.0% year-over-year (YoY) to 295.2 million units in the second quarter of 2025 (2Q25). The smartphone market remained positive, however uncertainty fueled by tariffs volatility, on-going macro-economic challenges such as forex instability, unemployment and inflation across regions have tapered demand, making consumers deprioritize spending on smartphones, especially in low-end segments.
“Economic uncertainty tends to compress demand at the lower end of the market, where price sensitivity is highest. As a result, low-end Android is witnessing a crunch weighing down overall market growth,” said Nabila Popal, senior research director for Worldwide Client Devices, IDC, in a statement. “Additionally, lower than expected performance in China also contributed to the flat global growth. China declined in Q2 as subsidies failed to stimulate demand. Although the 618 e-commerce festival was a success in terms of sell out, OEMs and channel partners used the promotions to clear inventory rather than increase shipments. While Apple was the top brand during the promotion period, it saw a 1% drop in China in Q2, offset by strong double-digit growth in emerging markets leading to a 1.5% growth globally in the quarter.”
“In the face of ongoing political challenges, the impact of war, and the complexities posed by tariffs, the 1% growth in the smartphone market stands as a critical indicator that the market is poised to return to growth,” said Anthony Scarsella, research director for Client Devices, IDC, in a statement. “Q2 was packed with new models, featuring innovative designs and the powerful integration of AI, which drove the 8th consecutive quarter of growth — a feat we have not witnessed since 2013.”
Top 5 Companies, Worldwide Smartphone Shipments, Market Share, and Year-Over-Year Growth, Q2 2025
(Preliminary results, shipments in millions of units)
Table Notes:
● Data are preliminary and subject to change.
● Company shipments are branded device shipments and exclude OEM sales for all vendors.
● The “Company” represents the current parent company (or holding company) for all brands owned and operated as a subsidiary.
● Figures represent new shipments only and exclude refurbished units.
● IDC declares a statistical tie in the Smartphone market when there is a difference of one-tenth of one percent (0.1%) or less in the shipment shares among two or more companies.
MacDailyNews Take: Bottom line: Apple iPhone topped smartphone sales in China during the 618 sales period, growing 1.5% worldwide YoY in Q2.
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