Latin America Smartphone Shipments Drop 4% in Q1 2025 as Growth Streak Ends
Latin American Smartphone Market Declines 4% in Q1 2025 — Growth Streak Ends After 6 Quarters
The Latin American smartphone market saw a 4% year-on-year decline in Q1 2025, breaking a six-quarter growth streak. Shipments dropped from 34.9 million units in Q1 2024 to 33.7 million, reflecting economic pressures and cautious consumer behavior.
Country Highlights:
Brazil, the region’s largest smartphone market (38% share), bucked the trend with a 3% growth.
Mexico, the second-largest market (22%), saw a steep 18% decline, likely due to fierce competition and rapid device renewal in 2024.
Central America dropped by 7%, while Colombia and Peru also reported declining sales.
Brand Performance:
Samsung retained its top spot with a 7% YoY growth, thanks to strong demand for its budget-friendly models.
Xiaomi surged with 10% growth, driven by its popular Redmi series.
Motorola slipped to third with a 13% decline in shipments.
Honor rose to fourth place with 2% growth, showing resilience in a competitive space.
Transsion saw the steepest drop — down 38% — amid channel restructuring and market pressure.
Outlook for 2025:
According to Canalys, the Latin American smartphone market is expected to shrink by 1% in 2025, mainly due to:
Economic uncertainties
Fear of import tariffs
Rising geopolitical tensions (especially USA-China dynamics)Consumers delaying upgrades due to inflation and financial caution
Vendors are also reacting cautiously by pulling back on aggressive promotions and keeping inventories lean — contributing to the Q1 dip.
Despite this, the region remains a strategic focus for brands looking to scale in emerging markets. The challenge now lies in balancing affordability with innovation, especially in the budget and mid-range segments.
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