Jan 12 (Reuters) – Global smartphone shipments rose 2% year-on-year in 2025, lifted by stronger demand and economic (?) momentum in emerging markets, Counterpoint Research said on Monday.

Apple led the market with a 20% share, the largest among the top five brands, supported by solid demand in emerging and mid-sized markets and strong sales of the iPhone 17 series, said Counterpoint analyst Varun Mishra.

Manufacturers pulled shipments forward early in the year to get ahead of tariffs, but the effect eased as 2025 progressed, leaving second-half volumes largely unaffected, the firm said.

Samsung ranked second with a 19% share on modest shipment growth, while Xiaomi placed third with a 13% share, backed by steady demand in emerging markets.

The global smartphone market is expected to soften in 2026 amid chip shortages and rising component costs, as chipmakers prioritise AI data centres over handsets, Counterpoint research director Tarun Pathak said. 

(Reporting by Disha Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Nivedita Bhattacharjee)