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3h ago

Smartphone Shipments Rise 2.6% in Q3 With Apple Nearing Samsung on iPhone 17 Surge

IDC credits premium AI-capable phones, aggressive trade-ins, financing for the rebound.

iPhone 17 Pro Max and Galaxy S25 Ultra held in the hand.
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This year's iPhone lineup includes the iPhone 17 Pro, the super-slim iPhone Air and the "regular" iPhone 17.
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Overview

  • Preliminary IDC data show global shipments reached 322.7 million units in Q3 2025, up 2.6% year over year.
  • Samsung led the market with 61.4 million units and its strongest September quarter on record, helped by Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 outpacing prior foldables.
  • Apple shipped 58.6 million iPhones for its best third quarter ever as iPhone 17 pre-orders surpassed last year’s launch, bringing its share to about 18.2% versus Samsung’s 19%.
  • IDC analysts say consumers are upgrading to premium and AI-enabled devices, with financing and generous trade-in programs reducing purchase friction and lifting higher-end sales.
  • Beyond the top two, IDC reports Xiaomi at roughly 13.5% share, Transsion at 9% and Vivo at 8.9%, and projects a strong year-end on promotions and expanding AI features.