Samsung retained its top position in the global smartphone market in Q2 2025, according to preliminary estimates from Counterpoint Research’s Market Monitor service. The company captured a 20 percent sell-in market share, holding steady from the previous quarter and up from 19 percent in Q2 2024, marking an 8 percent year-over-year growth in shipments. Sell-in shipments refer to the number of devices that manufacturers ship into the sales channel (distributors, retailers, and mobile operators), rather than the number of devices sold directly to end-users.
As per the report, Samsung’s growth was driven by continued strong demand for the Galaxy S25 series, supported by a stabilizing mid-tier lineup, particularly the refreshed A-series. The company also benefited from growing traction in foldable smartphones and early adoption of AI-led features, which helped sustain customer engagement across key markets including North America, Europe and Japan. “Samsung maintained the first position in the global smartphone market in Q2 2025 while witnessing an 8 percent yearover-year growth in shipments. The growth, which followed a strong Q1 driven by the Galaxy S25 series, came on the back of mid-tier phones, stabilizing performance across key markets— especially the A-series refresh. The company’s foldables and AI-led features helped retain brand stickiness,” said Senior Analyst Shilpi Jain. The report also noted that the global smartphone market recorded its second consecutive quarter of growth, with total shipments increasing 2 percent year-over-year in Q2 2025.
Growth was largely driven by strong performance in North America, Japan, and Europe. “The earlier concerns around tariffs, which disrupted shipments in Q1, started to ease in the second quarter. Still, markets like China and North America continued to feel some impact, leading North America to stockpile shipments. Entry-level and budget 5G devices saw growing traction in emerging markets, while premium demand remained steady in mature markets,” said Tarun Pathak, research director at Counterpoint Research.
Apple's market share decline
Apple held on to the second position but saw its sell-in market share decline to 16 percent in Q2 2025, down from 17.3 percent in Q1 2025, despite a 4 percent YoY increase in shipments. The brand performed well in India and Japan, and experienced a brief demand surge in North America as consumers made early purchases ahead of expected tariff hikes. Although continued demand for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 series supported Apple’s shipment volumes, momentum slowed compared to the first quarter. The company is expected to rebound in the second half of 2025 with the launch of the iPhone 17 series and a renewed emphasis on ecosystem product bundling.
Xiaomi holds third place
Xiaomi maintained its third-place position, capturing a 14.5 percent sell-in market share with flat YoY shipment growth. The brand saw strong demand in Central Europe, Latin America and China; driven by frequent portfolio refreshes, competitive pricing and the growing popularity of its AI-enhanced premium devices powered by HyperOS.
Vivo and Oppo remain stable
Vivo ranked fourth with a 9.2 percent sell-in market share, while OPPO (including OnePlus) followed in fifth place with an 8.8 percent share. Both brands continued to perform steadily in the mid-range segment and showed signs of recovery in emerging markets such as Latin America and the Middle East & Africa (MEA). Oppo saw notable success in the entry-level segment with its A5 Pro, while Vivo benefited from strong seasonal sales during China’s 618 shopping festival and continued traction in India, led by its Y and T series.
Motorola among fastest growing brands
Motorola recorded a 16 percent year-over-year increase in shipments, making it one of the fastest-growing smartphone brands in Q2 2025. Its growth was driven by strong demand in India, expanding presence in North America’s prepaid segment and a more competitive position in the mid-range 5G market.