Despite tariffs and market uncertainty, global smartphone shipments increased by 2.6% in the third quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC). Additionally, pre-orders for the iPhone 17, which was released last month, surpassed those of the iPhone 16.
This increase in sales includes premium phones like the latest iPhones and Samsung foldable phones, further demonstrating that expensive phones continue to sell even during periods of economic pressure. Nabila Popal, research director at IDC, called this achievement significant and attributed people’s continued purchase of these high-end phones, priced between $800 and nearly $2,000, to smart financing options.
“Phone manufacturers have not only mastered hardware and software to attract upgrades, but they have also succeeded in removing barriers to purchase,” Popal said in an IDC press release. “They have flawlessly combined advanced devices with innovative financing models and aggressive trade-in programs that turn the decision to upgrade into a ‘no-brainer’ for consumers.”
Apple’s sales reached 58.6 million iPhones this season, a 2.9% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Pre-orders for the iPhone 17 series also surpassed the previous model. But Samsung didn’t fall behind, with better sales of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 than all its previous foldable phones. The company still holds 19% of the market with 61.4 million phones sold this season, representing a 6.3% increase compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, Apple lags slightly behind Samsung with 18.2% market share.
Other Brands
Other mobile phone manufacturers following Apple and Samsung are: Xiaomi with 13.5% of the market, Transsion with 9%, and Vivo with 8.9%. Other companies active in the mobile phone industry, including Chinese companies like Oppo and Honor to Motorola and Google, make up the remaining 31.4% of the market this season. According to IDC, a total of 322.7 million phones were sold, up from 314.6 million devices in the third quarter of 2024.
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IDC’s findings for the third quarter of this year show a continuation of small but steady growth in mobile phone sales throughout the year, which includes a slight increase of 1% in the previous quarter as well. In the second quarter, IDC pointed to mid-range devices like the Samsung Galaxy A36 and other phones that were starting to incorporate AI. But even persistent tariffs did not reduce people’s desire for more expensive phones in the third quarter.
Continuity Across Industries
Analysts believe that this increase, although small, shows that the desire to upgrade remains strong. Therefore, companies are expanding their current strategies to remain aligned with customer needs. However, others believe that the continued availability of suitable mobile phones helps this situation and paints a win-win situation.
As the industry awaits what happens next, it still wants to innovate and deliver in this area to ensure that customers in different price ranges have access to something that fits their needs.
