Apple delivered the strongest growth among the top six smartphone brands in China in quarter one

Overview: This report is part of a series of reports which track the mobile handset market: Smartphone and Feature Phone shipments every quarter for more than 140 brands covering more than 97% of the total device shipments in the industry.The deliverable includesSingle pivot format giving in-depth analysis of global markets140+ brands now in comparison to 95 brands earlierBreak out of three key countries in each region to give a further granular view of the regions18 countries view as compared to six earlierMore visuals and analysis by country and by regionsTo quickly summarize:The global smartphone market continued its recovery in the fourth quarter as well, registering 4% YoY growth in Q4 2025. The quarter was driven by strong year-end demand in North America, Western Europe, and Korea alongside steady momentum in emerging markets. Market outperformed expectations in Q4, set record quarter shipments, ASPs and revenues.North America emerged as the fastest-growing major region in Q4 2025, growing 8% YoY, driven by strong flagship demand, aggressive carrier promotions, and seasonal replacement cycles in the US.CALA (Latin America) grew 7% YoY, driven by improving demand in key markets. CALA performed better than expected, largely due to Samsung and HONOR’s growth, and as Mexico stabilised towards end of Q4.Asia Pacific grew 2% YoY in Q4 2025, with mixed performance across key markets. China remained flat YoY but rebounded strongly sequentially from Q3 as demand improved toward the year-end.India also remained flat; however, shipments declined sequentially following festive front-loading in Q3. Japan grew 5% YoY in Q4 2025, driven by year-end sales campaigns and seasonal demand.Korea recorded healthy growth with 18% YoY as smartphone demand recovered modestly, driven mainly by selective replacement purchases of newly launched flagship models and targeted year-end promotions rather than broad-based expansion.Western Europe smartphone shipments increased 5% YoY in Q4 2025. Growth was driven by strong flagship demand, with Samsung recovering on a soft base and Apple benefiting from solid demand for the iPhone 17. Eastern Europe declined 3% YoY in Q4 2025, weighed down by a sharp drop in Russia despite growth in several other markets.