Global smartphone, 2Q 2025

Data collected by DIGITIMES showed that global smartphone demand continued to recover in the second quarter of 2025. Coupled with some brands actively increasing inventory for the US market, global smartphone shipments grew by 5.1% year-over-year, reaching 292.5 million units in the quarter.

Looking ahead to the second half of 2025, it is estimated that shipments in the third and fourth quarters will decline by 0.4% and 0.5% year-over-year, respectively, due to weaker demand in the China market compared to the same period in 2024, while many brands have turned to clear the inventory they built earlier this year for the US' reciprocal tariffs as the rates have recently been determined

Compared to the forecast of 2.7% growth made in May 2025, DIGITIMES has revised down its full-year 2025 global smartphone shipment growth rate to 1.9%. The downward revision mainly stems from challenges, including order cancellations or renegotiations, faced by industries of non-US countries focusing on exports to the US.