Smartphone Market Experiences Rapid Expansion in Middle East and Africa Regions During Q2 of 2025
In Q2 2025, the global smartphone market experienced modest growth, with shipments increasing by between 2% and 4% year-over-year, according to market analysts. Samsung led the pack with a market share of approximately 19-20%, shipping around 58 million units - an increase of nearly 8% from the previous year. This growth can be attributed to the successful launch of the Galaxy S25 series, the Galaxy A series, and foldables equipped with AI features.
Following closely behind was Apple, with a market share of 17%. The tech giant saw a growth of 1.5% to 4% year-on-year, with shipments of around 46 million units. This growth was driven by strong demand for the iPhone 15 and early iPhone 16 models, particularly in North America, Japan, and India.
Rounding out the top five global vendors were Xiaomi, vivo, and Transsion, each maintaining their positions in the market with varying growth rates. Xiaomi managed to defend its third place with 42.4 million units, backed by strong growth in Latin America and Africa. Vivo grew by 2% in Q2 2025, shipping 26.4 million units, largely due to strong growth in India. Transsion, however, saw a 3% decrease from the previous year with 24.6 million units shipped.
Among the other notable brands in the top ten were OPPO (OnePlus), Honor, Lenovo-Motorola, Huawei, and Realme.
Regarding the Indian market, Apple's performance was highlighted for strong growth, while Samsung maintained its established presence. Data on the growth of the brand Nothing in India for Q2 2025 was not readily available in the sources provided, suggesting either limited market impact or that it was not among the top-performing vendors in Q2 2025.
Vendors are prioritizing profitability with short-term tactical gains and long-term strategic investments, as noted by Sheng Win Chow, Senior Analyst at Canalys (now part of Omdia). It will be vital for vendors to work closely with their channel partners to find opportunities and balance inventory levels to avoid any errors that can hamper ambitions for 2026.
Stringent cost control and optimized enterprise resource planning are also priorities for all the major vendors. The newly introduced Galaxy A06 5G helped Samsung gain traction in emerging markets in Q2 2025, while the growth of Nothing in Q2 2025 was primarily driven by its investments in India.
In summary:
| Vendor | Market Share Q2 2025 | Notable Factors | |--------------|---------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | Samsung | ~19-20% | +8% YoY growth; Galaxy S25 series, A series, foldables, AI | | Apple | 17% | 1.5%-4% YoY growth; iPhone 15/16 demand, India & Japan growth | | Xiaomi | Top 5 | Maintained position | | vivo | Top 5 | Maintained position | | Transsion | Top 5 | 3% decrease YoY |
[1] Canalys [2] IDC [3] Strategy Analytics [4] Counterpoint Research
- The growth in the technology sector, as observed in Q2 2025, was not limited to just smartphones, as vendors like Samsung and Apple, key players in the global business landscape, also focused on finance strategies such as stringent cost control and optimized enterprise resource planning.
- In the realm of business and finance, the smartphone market of Q2 2025 saw significant advancements in technology, with Samsung leveraging new technologies like AI in their Galaxy S25 series and foldables, while Apple capitalized on demand for the iPhone 15 and early 16 models, particularly in North America and India.
