Q1 smartphone units up 1.5% YoY

Q1 smartphone shipments were up 1.5% y-o-y at 304.9 million units, according to,IDC.

“Vendors strategically accelerated production schedules and pulled forward significant shipment volumes, particularly into the critical US market, during Q1 2025,” said Francisco Jeronimo, vice president, Client Devices, IDC. “This supply-side surge, aimed at mitigating potential cost increases and disruptions, effectively inflated Q1 shipment figures.”

Q1 saw growth among top smartphone vendors, particularly the Chinese vendors in the home market, bolstered by the subsidies from the Chinese government launched last year, but extended to smartphones in January 2025.

The subsidy program, which aims to stimulate consumption, targets products priced below CNY6,000 ($820), representing most sales among Chinese vendors. Among the top vendors:

Samsung regained its market leadership, driven by the continuous success of its Galaxy S25 premium device and the Galaxy A series in the mid-range, particularly the latest Galaxy A36 and A56, offering AI at more affordable prices.

Apple had the best Q1 ever in terms of units shipped, stockpiling to avoid the U.S. tariffs, but also to other regions, as the channels fear that supply chain disruption could lead to a shortage of stock and price increases. Its performance in China declined, as Apple’s Pro models were exempt from the Chinese government subsidy program.

Xiaomi’s performance was mainly driven by its growth in China due to the subsidies from the Chinese government, which positively impacted the sales of its mid-range products.

OPPO regained its 4^th position despite the decline in shipments driven by a weaker performance in the international markets, which was not offset by the growth in China.

Vivo experienced substantial growth of 6.3% year-on-year, driven by the subsidies in China, but also the growth in the international markets, with strong performance from low-end devices and the V series.