Introduction: The Smartphone Race in 2025
The global smartphone industry has seen a dramatic shift in 2025. As the world embraces AI-driven innovation, 5G expansion, and camera-centric devices, the battle for market dominance intensifies. Two tech titans—Samsung and Apple—continue to go head-to-head, but a new generation of brands like Xiaomi, Transsion, and Honor are rapidly changing the global leaderboard.
In this blog, we break down the 2025 smartphone market share using fresh data from Counterpoint and IDC, offering insight into brand-wise performance, regional trends, and what the future holds.
Best Selling Smartphones Worldwide in 2025 – Phadera
📊 Brand-Wise Global Smartphone Market Share (2025)
| Rank | Brand | Market Share (%) | Units Shipped (Millions) | YoY Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1️⃣ | Samsung | 20.0% | 60.6M | +2.2% |
| 2️⃣ | Apple | 19.3% | 58.7M | -9.6% |
| 3️⃣ | Xiaomi | 14.1% | 42.8M | +33.8% |
| 4️⃣ | Transsion | 9.9% | 30.0M | +85.3% |
| 5️⃣ | OPPO | 8.0% | 24.4M | -8.6% |
| 6️⃣ | vivo | 7.5% | 23.0M | -9.0% |
| 7️⃣ | Realme | 4.1% | 12.4M | +5.4% |
| 8️⃣ | Honor | 3.5% | 10.6M | +6.1% |
| 9️⃣ | Motorola | 2.8% | 8.5M | +4.3% |
| 🔟 | Others | 10.8% | 32.5M | – |
🌍 Regional Market Overview (2025)
🇺🇸 United States
- Apple still leads in the U.S., but Samsung has gained significant ground with the Galaxy A and S series.
- Foldables like Galaxy Z Flip 6 are rising in popularity.
🇨🇳 China
- Apple suffered a steep decline due to increasing local brand loyalty and geopolitics.
- Honor and Xiaomi captured a combined 40%+ share in.
🇮🇳 India
- Xiaomi, Realme, and Transsion dominate the budget segment.
- Samsung holds strong in the mid-range.
- Apple’s iPhone 15 and 16 series perform well in metros.
🇪🇺 Europe
- Samsung remains the top vendor.
- Chinese brands like Xiaomi and OPPO fill the mid-budget demand.
🌍 Africa & Southeast Asia
- Transsion (Infinix, Tecno) is the absolute leader, thanks to ultra-affordable 4G/5G models.
📉 Apple vs Samsung in 2025: Who’s Winning?
Samsung officially surpassed Apple in unit shipments in early 2025, reclaiming the top spot it had briefly lost in 2023–24.
| Metric | Samsung | Apple |
| Units | 60.6M | 58.7M |
| Market Share (%) | 20.0% | 19.3% |
| Flagship Series | Galaxy S25 | iPhone 16 |
| Budget Models | Galaxy A16, A55 | iPhone 16e |
Key reasons Apple slipped:
- Supply chain constraints in China
- Regulatory hurdles
- Competition in Asia from Honor and Xiaomi
🚀 Rise of Xiaomi & Transsion
📲 Xiaomi
- Huge growth in India, China, and Latin America
- Aggressive pricing of Redmi 14C, POCO X6 Pro, and Xiaomi 15 Ultra
- 33.8% YoY growth makes Xiaomi the fastest-growing premium brand
🌍 Transsion (Infinix, Tecno, Itel)
- 85% YoY growth — insane numbers
- Dominates Africa and now growing fast in South Asia
- Focus on $100–$200 5G smartphones
🧠 Key 2025 Trends Driving Sales
- AI Features: Samsung and Xiaomi integrated on-device LLMs and image editing AI in mid-range phones.
- 5G Expansion: Carriers in India and Africa pushing affordable 5G.
- Battery Life & Fast Charging: Vivo’s 100W fast charge is becoming a standard.
- Camera Innovation: Sony IMX989 sensors dominate flagship cameras.
- Foldables: Still niche but growing—especially in Korea, US, and parts of Europe.
🔮 Forecast for H2 2025 and Beyond
- Samsung expected to retain the lead with S25 FE and Z Fold 6.
- Apple to recover in Q4 with iPhone 16 Ultra launch and festive offers.
- Xiaomi and Transsion will keep eating budget market share globally.
- New player watchlist: Nothing, Huawei comeback, Motorola Edge AI
🧩 FAQs
Q1: Which smartphone company has the highest market share in 2025?
A: Samsung leads globally with 20.0% share as of mid-2025.
Q2: Is Apple still the top smartphone brand?
A: Apple remains highly profitable but ranks second in shipments after Samsung.
Q3: Who is the fastest-growing smartphone brand in 2025?
A: Transsion Group (Infinix, Tecno) with over 85% YoY growth.
Q4: Which regions are driving smartphone growth in 2025?
A: India, Southeast Asia, and Africa show the highest growth due to 5G and affordable devices.
Q5: Will foldable phones go mainstream in 2026?
A: Possibly. Growth is steady but limited due to high cost. Samsung and Huawei lead this niche.
🧠 Conclusion
2025 has proven to be a defining year in the smartphone industry. With Samsung back on top, Apple looking to regain momentum, and Chinese & African players disrupting the landscape, competition has never been fiercer.
Consumers now demand AI smarts, 5G support, great cameras, and long battery — at prices that match their region’s economy.
Who will lead by the end of 2025? Only time (and sales) will tell.