Samsung and Apple Lead Smartphone Market Growth Amid AI Integration
Global smartphone shipments rose 2.6% year-over-year in Q3 2025, fueled by AI integration and affordability. Samsung and Apple dominated the expansion, with Samsung's shipments climbing 6.3% and Apple's growing 2.9%. The tech giants captured 19% and 18.2% market share respectively, marking record July-quarter performance.
Apple's iPhone 17 pre-orders exceeded previous generations, while Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 outsold all prior foldable models. Notably, Apple gained 0.6% shipment growth in China's sluggish market, moving 10.8 million units. The trend underscores how premium manufacturers are successfully bridging the affordability gap without sacrificing innovation.