The Middle East smartphone market (excluding Turkey) is on a strong upward trajectory, recording 15 percent year-on-year growth to reach 13.2 million units in Q2 2025 — its highest quarterly volume since Q2 2019.
Samsung led with shipments rising from 3.3 million to 4.5 million units, boosting its market share from 28 percent to 34 percent.
Xiaomi maintained shipment volume at 2.3 million units but saw its share fall from 20 percent to 17 percent.
TRANSSION grew from 1.8 million to 2.0 million units, slightly increasing share from 16 percent to 15 percent.
HONOR nearly doubled shipments from 0.7 million to 1.3 million units, expanding its share from 6 percent to 10 percent.
Apple’s shipments stayed flat at 1.1 million units, with market share declining from 10 percent to 8 percent. The “Others” category saw shipments drop from 2.4 million to 1.9 million units, with market share falling from 21 percent to 15 percent.
Samsung leveraged targeted promotions for its entry-level Galaxy A series 4G models, coupled with strong demand for premium Galaxy S25 and S24 FE devices supported by buy-now-pay-later schemes.
HONOR nearly doubled shipments versus Q2 2024, propelled by aggressive retail expansion, AI-centric product features, compelling channel incentives, and bold promotional campaigns in the GCC.
This surge makes it the fastest-growing region globally, driven by value-conscious consumers, festive season sales, and sustained economic momentum. Channel replenishment and the launch of refreshed mid-tier portfolios have fueled demand, while the region’s expanding disposable incomes, government-led infrastructure projects, and role as a global commercial hub are drawing increased vendor investment.
Manish Pravinkumar, Principal Analyst at Canalys (now part of Omdia), said: “Following a muted start to the year in Q1, the region rebounded in Q2 2025, fueled by channel replenishment and vendors refreshing their mid-tier portfolios.”
AI
AI integration is becoming a critical growth lever in the region. Led by the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, national strategies are embedding AI into infrastructure and daily life, sparking consumer interest in advanced smartphone features like real-time translation, hyper-personalized recommendations, and instant content creation. Vendors aiming to capture market share must align AI innovation with local cultural preferences, influencer-driven marketing, and creator partnerships to drive engagement and long-term loyalty in an increasingly competitive landscape.
TelecomLead.com News Desk