Apple outpaces rivals in Vietnam smartphone shipments

Apple’s deliveries increased by 37% year-on-year, while China's Xiaomi and Oppo reported more modest growths of 9% and 8%, according to market research firm Counterpoint Research. Shipment figures reflect the number of units manufacturers deliver to distributors and retailers, not actual consumer sales.

South Korea’s Samsung and China’s Vivo, other heavy hitters, reported declines of 13% and 25%, but both remained within the market’s top five.

Though Counterpoint did not provide data about actual volumes, it reported a 5% drop in the overall market from a year earlier. It attributed this to reduced retail demand through February as many families cut back on spending after the Lunar New Year holidays began at the start of the month. Most brands had launched new models before the holiday season.

An attendee holds two iPhones 16 as Apple holds an event at the Steve Jobs Theater on its campus in Cupertino, California, U.S. Sept. 9, 2024. Photo by Reuters

But despite its dip, Samsung retained its position as the market leader with a 28% share, albeit down from 31% in Q1 2024. It was followed by Xiaomi with 23%, Apple and Oppo with 17% each and Vivo with 5%.

Analysts said Samsung's flagship Galaxy S25 was affected by the timing of the holiday season, but the company made a recovery by launching several A-series models in March. Xiaomi moved up to second place from fourth last quarter, driven by the strong performance of its Redmi Note 14. Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro Max remained the company’s top-seller, bolstered by post-holiday discounts.

Counterpoint also observed a shift in consumer preferences, with mid-range smartphones gaining traction over budget models. The share of smartphones priced under US$200 dropped to 50%, the lowest on record, while the $200–400 segment grew by 19% year-on-year, the highest growth of any category.

The expansion of 5G services was a key factor driving this shift, Counterpoint said. It said 5G phones accounted for 46% of all shipments in Q1 2025, the highest ever rate in Vietnam.

Analysts at Counterpoint suggested that the declining share of low-cost devices reflects Vietnamese consumers’ growing willingness to spend more and their rising preference for higher-end smartphones.

As 5G coverage continues to expand across the country, they expect adoption to increase further.