• Vietnam’s smartphone shipments declined 5% YoY in Q1 2025.
• Samsung underperformed primarily due to delays in the Galaxy S25 series’ availability.
• Apple’s shipments grew 37% YoY, helping it hold a position among the top three for the second consecutive quarter.
• Xiaomi also maintained healthy growth on the back of record sales of its Redmi Note 14 series.
• Premium will continue to be a strong theme this year as more operators roll out 5G services.

Jakarta, Beijing, Buenos Aires, Fort Collins, Hong Kong, London, New Delhi, Seoul, Taipei, Tokyo – May 13, 2025

Vietnam’s smartphone shipments decreased by 5% YoY in Q1 2025, according to Counterpoint’s Monthly Vietnam Smartphone Tracker. The country’s economy is on a growth trajectory, having achieved its highest Q1 GDP growth in five years. While sectors like manufacturing and agriculture continued to show growth in Q1, they were not able to impact the smartphone market positively. Further, in February, the retail sector experienced a sluggish demand as households tightened budgets after the Lunar New Year holidays. During the quarter, smartphone OEMs prioritized launching new models before the Tet festival, while retailers offered discounts and promotions to boost sales.

Samsung led the market in Q1 2025 with 28% shipment share. The brand delayed the release of its flagship Galaxy S25 series in Vietnam by a few days as it faced logistical and marketing issues due to Tet festival, which occurred at the end of January. But Samsung was aggressive in March and launched multiple A series models to regain volumes.

Xiaomi registered 9% YoY growth, jumping to second position in Q1 2025 from fourth in the previous quarter. The Redmi Note 14 series was popular among consumers, which drove the brand’s shipments by recording more than 350,000 shipments across the quarter. In order to expand its footprint in the country, Xiaomi signed an agreement with Mobile World Group for the distribution of its electronic devices, electrical appliances and IoT products.

Apple’s shipments increased by 37% YoY in Q1 2025, helping the brand hold its top-three position for the second consecutive quarter. The iPhone 16e launch received a lukewarm response from Vietnamese consumers, with the iPhone 16 Pro Max remaining the brand’s top model. The discounts offered during the Tet festival sales made iPhone an attractive offering for consumers for premium models.

The wholesale price band of sub-$200 contributed to just 50% of smartphone shipments in Vietnam during the quarter, its lowest ever. Availability of financing options, preference for advanced features and 5G connectivity are helping consumers skip the price band. $200-$400 was the fastest-growing price segment in Q1 2025 with 19% YoY growth. Samsung led this segment, followed by OPPO.

5G share in Vietnam’s smartphone shipments reached 46% in Q1 2025, its highest ever. Mobifone was the latest operator to roll out 5G services in the country in Q1 2025, after Viettel and VNPT in the previous quarter. Telecom operators have been upgrading infrastructure, expanding services and lowering prices to attract users. The adoption of 5G has also improved Vietnam’s internet ranking.

Outlook

The tariffs imposed by the US could pose a threat to Vietnam as exports form a substantial part of its GDP. However, the premium smartphone segment is expected to remain unaffected by these developments. The decline in lower price bands’ contribution also indicates the increasing affordability of smartphones as well as preference for higher price bands and better features. We expect the 5G smartphone shipments to continue to rise as the coverage increases across the country, making the technology accessible to a broader base.

Background

Counterpoint Research is a tech market research firm providing market data, industry thought leadership and consulting across the technology ecosystem. We advise a diverse range of clients spanning smartphone OEMs to chipmakers, channel players to big brands and Big Tech through our offices which serve the major innovation hubs, manufacturing clusters and commercial centers globally. Our analyst team engages with C-suite through to strategy, AR, MI, BI, product and marketing professionals in the delivery of our research and services. Our key areas of coverage: AI, Autos, Consumer Electronics, Displays, eSIM, IoT, Location Platforms, Macroeconomics, Manufacturing, Networks & Infra, Semiconductors, Smartphones and Wearables.
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