Counterpoint Research cuts 2025 global smartphone shipment growth amid tariff uncertainty

Research firm Counterpoint cut growth expectations for global smartphone shipments in 2025 to 1.9% on Wednesday, down from its earlier forecast of 4.2%, citing uncertainties surrounding U.S. tariffs.

US President Donald Trump announced a series of tariffs on April 2, prompting companies such as Apple to adjust supply chains. However, the US suspended the tariffs on smartphones and other electronic devices as part of a broader 90-day pause.

The downgrade signals challenges for manufacturers that already face weakening sales amid heightened geopolitical tensions and escalating tariff disputes.


The research firm also revised year-on-year shipment growth from China down to near-flat, while Apple and Samsung's shipments are expected to slow as cost increases are passed on to consumers.

Apple sells more than 220 million iPhones a year worldwide, with a fifth of total iPhone imports to the United States now come from India, and the rest from China.

Last month, International Data Corp slashed its 2025 global smartphone shipment growth forecast from 2.3% to 0.6%, citing tariff-driven economic uncertainty and a pullback in consumer spending.