According to TrendForce, more than 300 million mobile phones were manufactured globally in the second quarter of 2025, showing a 4% increase year on year. This indicates 5% growth year on year, which is a recovery from the stagnant phase characterized by excess supply and accumulation of inventories.
Subsidies from China have rejuvenated the economy.
The riser on the market was the government’s initiative to increase sales for mid and lower tier phones. The subsidy system enabled manufacturer’s to alleviate surplus stock while also generating new market demand. The support policy provided a boost to Chinese brands and helped to stabilize global production.
Brand Performance Overview
Oppo is on the rise, while Apple and Samsung are more steady.
Top Brands by Production Volume (Q2 2025):
| Brand | Shipments (Millions of Units) | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung | 58 | experienced a 5% decrease which resulted in a shipment of 58 million units, which is lower than the projected flagship. |
| Apple | 46 | was second with a shipment of 46 million of which 9% was lower from the former quarter. |
| Xiaomi | 42 | retained third place with 42 million units and registered only slight growth. |
| Oppo | 37 | showcased one of the quarter’s most impressive performances by advancing 35% quarter-on-quarter and reaching 37 million units with renewed domestic and international demand. |
| Transsion | 27 | which owns Tecno, Infinix and itel, achieved faster growth, increasing output by one third to 27 million units. |
| Vivo | 26 | including the iQOO sub-brand, grew by 8% to 26 million units. |
Key Market Insights
- Along with Samsung, Apple, Xiaomi, and Oppo, these six brands accounted for 80% of global smartphone production in Q2.
- Analysts suggest that the quarter’s growth has been mainly attributed to:
- demand in Africa and South America
- the recent government initiatives across Asia.
Analyst Outlook for the Second Half of the Year
However, they warn that the second half of the year will likely have intensified competition, especially when brands begin preparing for festive season launches and year-end sales.
