Global smartphone shipments rose 2.3% year on year to 336.6 million units in the fourth quarter of 2025, shrugging off ongoing chip supply constraints and buoyed by sustained demand for premium devices.
Globally, smartphone sales have been declining for the past few years, with emerging markets one of the few growth drivers. However, the cost of smartphones is a major barrier to adoption in these regions, and this has resulted in thriving grey markets…