Global smartphones, 1Q 2025

DIGITIMES statistics showed that in the first quarter of 2025, global smartphone market demand continued to recover, with shipments increasing by 4.1% year-over-year to reach 294.7 million units. However, due to the seasonal slowdown in the European and North American markets, shipments were significantly lower than those in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Looking ahead to the second quarter of 2025, influenced by the Trump administration's imposition of reciprocal tariffs, some brands actively increased inventory for the US market. Global market shipments are expected to grow by 4.9% year-over-year, slightly higher than the previous quarter.

Compared to the March 2025 forecast of 3.4%, DIGITIMES revised down the full-year 2025 global smartphone shipment growth rate to 2.7%. The main reason for the downward revision was the uncertainty brought by the Trump administration's tariff policies, which also triggered concerns about an economic recession in the second half of the year, weakening consumer confidence.