Samsung secures top spot in global smartphone market in Q1—report

South Korean technology giant Samsung dominated the smartphone game in the first quarter of 2025, according to a report.

File photo: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

Samsung is the top smartphone brand in Q1

Based on the latest research from Canalys, Samsung had a market share of 20 percent in the first three months, beating US-based firm Apple, which had 18 percent.

Chinese company Xiami came third with 14 percent. vivo and OPPO, meanwhile, ranked fourth and fifth, each securing an 8 percent market share.

Data from Canalys

Canalys said the worldwide smartphone market only inched up by 1 percent in the period, amid “persistent macroeconomic headwinds, cautious consumer sentiment, and delayed channel inventory digestion.”

Amber Liu, research manager at Canalys, said the business environment was “more volatile than anticipated.”

Following a strong finish to 2024, vendors pushed high inventory volumes into channels to gain share. But slower-than-expected sell-through extended inventory cycles, dampening sell-in momentum in early 2025. Unlike 2024’s recovery, which was driven by a post-pandemic upgrade cycle and mass-market affordability, this year’s rebound is proving more fragile, Liu said.

The Canalys official said the trade war triggered by the United States could further spark "fresh uncertainties for smartphone vendors in 2025."

Source: Canalys