Omdia: Global Smartphone Market Grew 4% in 4Q25 as Apple Leads the Market for the Third Consecutive Year
Global smartphone shipments rose 4% YoY in Q4 2025, supported by holiday demand, while cost pressures constrained growth
Worldwide smartphone shipment market share, top vendors, 1Q23 to 4Q25
For the full year 2025, global shipments grew 2% year-on-year to 1.25 billion units, reflecting a stable but uneven recovery year in which a weaker 1H25 was followed by a stronger second half, defined by booming emerging economies and positive reception of flagship launches. However, rising memory costs and shortages have started to impact the market and constrain the broader volume upside in 4Q25. Mounting cost pressures toward year-end point to a stronger focus on pricing discipline, profitability and operational efficiency heading into 2026.
“Apple recorded its highest-ever fourth-quarter shipment volumes in 4Q25,” said Sanyam Chaurasia, Principal Analyst at Omdia. “The performance was driven by solid demand for the iPhone 17 series alongside continued traction from older-generation models during the holiday season. The base iPhone 17 exceeded expectations following storage upgrades at unchanged pricing, while Pro models gained momentum as Apple ramped up production through the quarter. Meanwhile, the iPhone Air acted as a portfolio showcase, with its slim form factor enhancing retail marketing and reinforcing the premium appeal of the Pro lineup.”
“DRAM supply tightness has added considerable supply-side pressures to the smartphone industry, and is expected to be a key defining factor in 2026,” said Runar Bjørhovde, Senior Analyst at Omdia. “Amid restricted DRAM supply of both LPDDR4 and LPDDR5, the battle to secure supply and limit cost increases is intense amongst all vendors. All vendors are utilizing mitigating tactics, for example, by emphasising long-term partnerships, utilizing scale to secure capacity, and focusing on their supplier base. The situation is particularly critical for vendors with heavier exposure to entry-level smartphones, which are highly price elastic and where memory and storage costs make up a higher share of the bill-of-materials.”
“Rising cost pressures are reshaping how smartphone vendors approach 2026,” added Sanyam Chaurasia, Principal Analyst at Omdia. “Higher semiconductor costs, alongside a slowing refresh cycle, are expected to weigh on shipment momentum. In response, vendors are tightening configurations, aligning launch strategies closer with component availability and using channel-led levers such as services, trade-ins and ecosystem bundling to support higher price points. The push toward greater scale and supply-side leverage is already becoming evident, exemplified by realme moving under OPPO’s umbrella, reflecting early signs of consolidation as vendors seek greater scale to manage rising costs to maintain competitiveness in the decade’s second half.”
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This news is a press release provided by Omdia.
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