The smartphone market finished 2025 much stronger than anyone expected. Even though getting parts was difficult, global phone shipments went up by 2.3% in the final few months of the year. For the third year in a row, Apple stayed on top, mostly because so many people rushed to buy the new iPhone 17.
The Giants Get Bigger
The gap between the top companies and everyone else is widening. Right now, Apple and Samsung together control almost 40% of the entire world market.
During the holiday season alone, Apple shipped over 81 million iPhones, taking a massive 24.2% share of the market. Samsung also grew, keeping its second-place spot safe. The data shows that buyers are choosing famous, premium brands more often, even though they cost more money.
The Battle for Third Place
Vivo and Oppo took the next spots in the top five. Vivo did really well in India, which has become a major place for their sales. On the other hand, Oppo had a hard time gaining ground outside of China. These brands are currently in a tight spot, trying to compete with the big giants while keeping their costs low.
Prices Might Go Up in 2026
Looking ahead, the celebration might end quickly. Experts are warning that we are running low on memory chips, which could hurt phone production in 2026.
This shortage actually helps big companies like Apple and Samsung because they have the money and power to buy parts first. For regular buyers, this likely means one thing: phone prices are going to rise. As it costs manufacturers more to build phones, they will almost certainly pass those extra costs on to customers this year.
