According to a recent report, Samsung Electronics topped the Middle East smartphone market (excluding Turkey) in the first quarter of 2025, with strong performance driven by the Galaxy S25 Ultra and the Galaxy A series.
On Wednesday, market research firm Canalys announced that Samsung captured a 32% market share in the Middle East smartphone market during Q1, shipping 3.7 million units. This is double the market share of second-place Transsion, which held 16%, followed by Xiaomi (14%), Apple (11%), and Honor (10%).
Samsung expanded its market share by 7 percentage points compared to last year, firmly securing its regional leadership. Transsion, on the other hand, saw its market share fall by 6 percentage points.
While the total smartphone shipments in the Middle East dropped 4% year-over-year to 11.7 million units in Q1, the premium smartphone segment grew by 17%, reflecting a shift in consumer preferences.
Manish Pravinkumar, Senior Analyst at Canalys, observed that Samsung secured the top spot in the market, driven by strong demand for its mid-range Galaxy A series and the high-end Galaxy S25 Ultra. He noted that the S25 Ultra alone represented 9% of all smartphone shipments in the region.
Canalys emphasized that price-focused strategies are no longer sufficient in this market.
Pravinkumar also pointed out that AI-driven innovation is rapidly gaining momentum, with 53% of smartphones shipped in the first quarter featuring AI capabilities. He emphasized that the Middle East is shifting toward more intelligent, experience-focused devices. He suggested that the brands best positioned to shape the region’s digital future will prioritize delivering new value and user experiences.