Smartphone sales in China took a slight hit in the first two months of 2026 as shipments fell by 4% compared to the same period last year, indicating a decline in demand despite government incentives.
Smartphone shipments have been falling for the last nine months in the U.S. The concerning trend has affected the majority of smartphone manufacturers. But despite the downturn, phone makers are optimistic for a few valid reasons. The US smartphone market shrunk by 24 percent year-over-year in Q2 this year. Let's look at how the leading smartphone manufacturers have fared, and how they are trying to wade through the uncertain times.
The age of smartphones that were traded in reached a record high during the 2025 upgrade cycle, according to a new report from Circana and B-Stock. Most of the devices traded in were at least three generations old, yet even older phones are in high demand on a global basis. As of October 2025, nearly 11% of U.S. consumers own a pre-owned smartphone, with almost one-third (30%) of those being certified pre-owned (CPO) models.
The final three months of 2025 proved great for smartphone shipments in Europe as the market was up 2% compared to Q4 2024. According to Counterpoint Research 's Q4 2025 Smartphone Market Monitor, Apple was the leading brand in Europe with an estimated 33% share of all shipments. Cupertino saw strong demand for the iPhone 17 series, resulting in a 7% rise in shipments compared to the prior year. The report outlined strong demand for the 17 series in Eastern Europe.
The ongoing memory chip shortage is about to lead to a drastic drop in smartphone shipments this year. According to the latest forecast from TrendForce, the market will see a 10% drop in global smartphone shipments, which would result in an estimated 1.135 billion units shipped for the calendar year. There is, however, an even worse turn of events, which could see the drop go as low as 15%, which TrendForce describes as the "Bear-case scenario".