The urgency to buy smartphones before tariff-triggering price increases could ensue bolstered the volume of smartphone shipments globally during the first quarter of 2025, according to a new report.

Global shipments increased 1.5% year-over-year in the first quarter, amounting to 304.9 million smartphone units shipped, according to International Data Corporation (IDC)’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker report.

The preliminary data showed that this growth was consistent with earlier IDC forecasts. Those forecasts had anticipated that smartphone manufacturers would ramp up production ahead of the announced tariffs on imports from China.

“Faced with heightened geopolitical uncertainty and the looming threat of substantial U.S. tariff hikes on goods imported from China, vendors strategically accelerated production schedules and pulled forward significant shipment volumes, particularly into the critical U.S. market, during Q1 2025,” explained IDC’s Vice President of Client Devices, Francisco Jeronimo.

“This supply-side surge, aimed at mitigating potential cost increases and disruptions, effectively inflated Q1 shipment figures beyond levels anticipated based on underlying consumer demand trends alone,” Jeronimo said in IDC’s press announcement.

In the U.S., first-quarter smartphone growth exceeded 5% despite the pressures of tariffs potentially affecting disposable income, the report said. Growth in the first quarter was driven by strong consumer demand for new models and urgency to buy ahead of potential price hikes. The 90-day pause on smartphone tariffs also may boost second-quarter sales, as consumers continue to take advantage before tariffs are reintroduced.

“Right now, the focus for U.S. smartphone brands should be taking advantage of the exemption by building and shipping as much as possible. The other side of this equation is the possibility that economic uncertainty may dampen consumer demand in the coming months,” said Ryan Reith, group vice president, worldwide device trackers, IDC.

Here is what transpired among top vendors globally, according to IDC:

• Samsung reclaimed its top position in the market, propelled by the enduring success of its Galaxy S25 premium model and the Galaxy A series in the mid-range segment. The newly launched Galaxy A36 and A56, featuring affordable AI capabilities, played a key role in this achievement.
• Apple achieved its highest-ever first-quarter shipment volume, driven by stockpiling efforts to mitigate the impact of U.S. tariffs and potential supply chain disruptions feared by retailers. However, its performance in China faltered, as the Pro models did not qualify for the Chinese government’s subsidy program.
• Xiaomi’s strong performance took place mainly in China, supported by government subsidies that boosted sales of its mid-range products.
• OPPO regained fourth place, despite experiencing a drop in shipments due to underperformance in international markets, which the growth in China could not counterbalance.
• Vivo achieved impressive year-over-year growth of 6.3%, fueled by Chinese government subsidies and expansion in international markets. It experienced success with its low-end devices and the V series.

Together, Samsung and Apple rallied 38.9% of total smartphone market share in the first quarter of this year, compared with 37.6% in the first quarter of 2024, according to the IDC report. Apple’s growth was most impressive, with 10% expansion year-over-year for the first quarter.