Oct 13 - Global smartphone shipments grew 2.6% in the

third quarter this year, fueled by strong consumer demand for

premium and AI-enabled devices, according to preliminary data

from the International Data Corporation on Monday.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

Demand for smartphones has been resilient despite economic

uncertainty and tariff challenges, boosted by premium features,

favorable pricing models and promotional trade-in deals that

make the upgrading decision a "no-brainer" for most customers.

KEY QUOTE

"The smartphone industry continues its upward trajectory,

posting solid growth - a remarkable achievement given persistent

economic uncertainty and tumultuous tariff dynamics," said

Nabila Popal, senior research director for Worldwide Client

Devices, IDC.

"Demand for Apple's ( AAPL ) new iPhone 17 lineup was robust, with

pre-orders surpassing those of the previous generation. At the

same time, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7

outperformed all earlier foldable models, creating renewed

momentum for the foldables segment," said Francisco Jeronimo,

vice president, Client Devices, IDC.

BY THE NUMBERS

Third-quarter shipments rose to 322.7 million units, with

Apple ( AAPL ) delivering its best results ever in a three-month

period ended September and Samsung achieving its

strongest September-quarter growth on record, IDC said.

Samsung maintained its top spot with 61.4 million units

shipped in the quarter, while Apple ( AAPL ) saw nearly 3% growth in

shipments with 58.6 million.

WHAT'S NEXT

IDC said it maintains a positive outlook for the rest of

2025, projecting strong year-end sales driven by aggressive

promotions, expanding AI capabilities and ongoing device

innovation.