Counterpoint: Global high-end smartphone sales increased 8% year-on-year in the first half of 2025

The Zhitong Finance App learned that according to a report released by Counterpoint Research, global high-end smartphone sales increased 8% year on year in the first half of 2025, a record high in the first half of the year; the growth rate was higher than the total global smartphone market, which grew by only 4% year on year during the same period. As consumers' use of smartphones continues to increase in depth and stickiness, and upgrade to high-end devices in the context of increased affordability, the “high-end” trend is becoming more and more obvious in various regions. Most brands and regions are benefiting from this trend. Overall, the high-end market accounts for more than 60% of global smartphone revenue, highlighting its strategic importance.

Apple (Apple) remained the largest brand in the first half of the year, growing 3% year over year and reaching 62% share in the high-end market. However, due to the faster growth rate of other OEMs, Apple's share declined: its performance in emerging markets improved, but it was eaten away by Huawei and Xiaomi in China. With a loyal user base and strong offline coverage, Huawei is still very attractive in China, and continues to reclaim its share and win the favor of consumers through uniquely designed models such as the tri-folding Mate XT.

Global high-end (>$600) smartphone market unit sales share (by OEM)

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Source: Counterpoint Research mobile phone model sales tracking, Q2 2025

The performance of Xiaomi (Xiaomi) in China's high-end market segment has also improved significantly. Not only is it promoting high-end smartphone business, but it is also growing at the same time as the electric vehicle (EV) and Internet of Things (IoT) business; the halo effect of high-end EVs is feeding back the mobile phone business, and mobile phones are also deeply integrated with EVs and IoT.

Google (Google) returned to the top five high-end smartphone brands after a lapse of five years. Sales doubled year-on-year, driven by the strong performance of the Pixel 9 series, expansion into new markets, and more aggressive marketing. Google is positioning the Pixel series as an AI-first device with a pure software experience rather than just emphasizing hardware parameters, and consumer confidence in the Pixel is steadily increasing.

Samsung (Samsung) relied on the S25 series to achieve growth, and this model outperformed the S24. Looking ahead, the Z Fold 7 is also expected to be superior to its predecessor, benefiting from significant hardware upgrades.

At the country/regional level, the top ten high-end markets contributed nearly 80% of sales in this segment. Among them, India became the fastest growing market with simultaneous 37% growth, mainly driven by Apple's good performance and convenient financing, which significantly expanded the reach of high-end devices. As far as absolute numbers are concerned, China, the world's largest high-end market, is still the biggest contributor to growth.

Folding screens are still a niche but growing category — both a key driver for brand differentiation and a strategic step in expanding the high-end and luxury product line. For consumers, folding screens have brought a new morphological experience. Apple is expected to enter the market in 2026, or further drive growth in this segment.

In terms of AI, devices with generative AI (GenAI) capabilities will account for more than 80% of high-end smartphone sales in the first half of 2025. High-end consumers continue to favor cutting-edge innovation, and brands are also turning GenAI into the next generation of key differentiators in this market segment. As the hardware gap narrows, consumer choices will increasingly rely on the AI ecosystem.