CR: Apple ruled Q1 smartphone shipments for the first time ever

For the first time ever, this year Apple was the world"s No.1 smartphone maker in terms of shipments in the first quarter (January to March). This is according to a new report by Counterpoint Research (CR). The company was helped by its launch of the iPhone 16e, and while its sales in the US, Europe, and China were either flat or declining, it recorded a whopping double-digit growth in Japan, India, the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

Apple had 19% market share in Q1, with a 4% increase in shipments. It was followed by Samsung with 18% of the pie and 5% fewer shipments than in the year-ago quarter. Samsung did have a slow start to the quarter but its shipments grew by double digits in March thanks to the launch of the S25 series. Speaking of which, the Galaxy S25 Ultra"s share of sales from the S25 family has grown compared to its predecessor.

In third is Xiaomi with 14% of the market and a 5% growth, fueled by the Chinese market as well as its expansion into new markets. vivo was the fastest growing brand with 6% more shipments than a year ago, and it had 8% market share, tied with Oppo, though Oppo has seen a 1% decline in shipments. Despite that, Oppo has seen growth in India, Latin America, and Europe.

Huawei was the biggest brand in China in Q1, while Honor and Motorola showed high growth in multiple markets, but not enough to break into the Top 5. The market overall saw a 3% growth in shipments in Q1. CR now predicts a slight decline of the smartphone market for the full year compared to 2024, especially due to US tariffs.

Apple iPhone 16e

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

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