Apple and Samsung are leaving the rest. The year 2025 was theirs

Dominance of two giants

Global smartphone sales in 2025 amounted to 1.26 billion units. This is an increase of almost 2% compared to the previous year. The fourth quarter itself was even better. Manufacturers have delivered over 336 million devices during this time.

The biggest winners are Apple and Samsung. Both companies now control almost 40% of the entire market. Apple maintained its leadership position for the third year in a row. The iPhone 17 series has proven to be a huge hit, especially in China. However, Samsung was not left behind and had the best end of the year in over a decade.

Foldables and artificial intelligence

The Koreans owe their success to two product groups. The foldable Galaxy Z Fold7 sold well. At the same time, customers eagerly chose the cheaper Galaxy A series. New models in this line received AI functions, which attracted crowds of buyers.

Screen
8.00″ Dynamic AMOLED

RAM
16GB

Processor

4.47 GHz

Apparatus
200 Mpix

Battery
4400mAh

Built-in memory
1000 GB

There is a clear trend: we are buying more and more expensive phones. Average device prices are rising, and we want top-shelf hardware. It is the premium segment that has driven the entire industry in recent months.

The Chinese competition is facing an uphill battle

The remaining producers face great pressure. Xiaomi maintained the third place on the podium, but recorded significant declines in the last quarter. The company is having difficulty convincing customers to buy its more expensive models. Vivo, on the other hand, is growing mainly due to its huge popularity in India. Oppo is doing well in China, but is doing worse in global markets.

All these brands must fight to survive in the shadow of the two largest players.

Global smartphone market in Q4 2025

Business	4Q2025		4Q2024		Change year to year
Business	Size supplies	Participation in the market	Size supplies	Participation in the market	Change year to year
Apple	81.3 million	24.2%	77.5 million	23.6%	+4.9%
Samsung	61.2 million	18.2%	51.7 million	15.7%	+18.3%
Xiaomi	37.8 million	11.2%	42.7 million	13.0%	-11.4%
Vivo	27.0 million	8.0%	27.1 million	8.2%	-0.4%
Oppo	26.9 million	8.0%	25.0 million	7.6%	+7.6%
Other	102.1 million	30.4%	104.8 million	31.9%	-2.6%
Together	336.3 million	100%	328.8 million	100%	+2.3%

Global smartphone market in 2025

Business	2025		2024		Change year to year
Business	Size supplies	Participation in the market	Size supplies	Participation in the market	Change year to year
Apple	247.8 million	19.7%	233.1 million	18.9%	+6.3%
Samsung	241.2 million	19.1%	223.5 million	18.1%	+7.9%
Xiaomi	165.3 million	13.1%	168.4 million	13.6%	-1.9%
Vivo	103.9 million	8.2%	101.2 million	8.2%	+2.7%
Oppo	102.0 million	8.1%	104.8 million	8.5%	-2.7%
Other	400.0 million	31.7%	405.2 million	32.8%	-1.3%
Together	1,260.3 million	100%	1236.3 million	100%	+1.9%

Difficult times and salary increases are coming

Various analytical companies agree on one thing: 2026 does not promise to be rosy. The industry is struggling with a huge shortage of memory chips. This is an unprecedented supply chain crisis. Experts predict that the market will start to shrink.

Problems with component availability mean it will be more expensive. Larger manufacturers, such as Apple and Samsung, will be better able to secure supplies. Smaller brands, however, may have a serious problem maintaining competitive prices.