Omdia: Latin America’s smartphone market hits record 140.5 million units in 2025, up 12% in 4Q

LONDON, February 17, 2026:  Omdia’s latest analysis shows that Latin America’s smartphone market grew 12% year over year in the fourth quarter of 2025 and 3% for the full year, with shipments reaching a record 140.5 million units. The strong fourth quarter pushed the region to its highest quarterly result on record, surpassing 37 million units for the first time, despite a year marked by economic uncertainty and the prospect of higher component costs.

 
Samsung, which grew 21% year-over-year in 4Q25, retained the top position in 2025, expanding 9% year-over-year to 46.9 million units, supported by a notable 32% surge in its A0x and A1x low-end models. Xiaomi climbed to second place with 24.6 million units, up 8% year-over-year, combining strong entry level-momentum -spearheaded by the Redmi A5 4G- with a successful push into the upper mid-range, with models such as the Poco X7 Pro, competing on performance at affordable prices. Motorola slipped to third after a 5% annual decline to 21.6 million units, despite finally breaking in 4Q a trend of six consecutive quarters of declining shipments. Rounding out the top five, HONOR climbed to fourth as the fastest-growing vendor over the last three years, up 48% in 2025 (and 64% in 4Q) to a record 11.8 million units, while TRANSSION ranked fifth after a challenging year, down 30% to 8.9 million units.

“While the ranking of the leading vendors did not shift dramatically, Latin America’s smartphone market displayed an atypical pattern in 2025,” said Miguel Ángel Pérez, Senior Analyst at Omdia. “The year began with a risk of low-end inventory saturation following a 2024 marked by aggressive value-for-money propositions. Economic uncertainty through much of the first half softened demand amid concerns over potential tariff increases. Momentum returned in the second half, supported by improving consumer confidence and stronger demand for devices ahead of the expected fourth quarter seasonal peak. However, emerging risks from DRAM supply tightness and rising memory prices could reverberate into 2026. In some cases, this may also have encouraged manufacturers to accelerate shipments at current price levels, contributing to year end growth.”
Annual smartphone growth was also linked to the dynamics of key markets, such as Brazil, Central America, and Ecuador, which all recorded shipment highs in 2025, driven by the strategic focus of vendors. In Brazil, market dynamics were fueled by the arrival of new entrants like HONOR, OPPO and vivo (Jovi). In Central America, legacy brands like Samsung and Motorola regained share and growth over the past two years, in response to the increasing strategic importance of this market for competitors like Xiaomi, HONOR, and TRANSSION. Ecuador showed a similar trend, with ZTE and Nubia also entering the market in 2025. Growth also returned in Argentina, Chile, and Colombia in 2025, as improved socioeconomic conditions revived market dynamism. Conversely, Mexico—the region's second-largest market— declined 4% compared to 2024, despite a 27% year-over-year rebound in 4Q that failed to offset the weakness of previous quarters.

Looking ahead to 2026, Omdia expects a more demanding operating environment, with rising component costs — particularly memory — and more cautious channel behavior following early-2025 overstock. In Latin America, vendors will need to defend share without sacrificing profitability, placing greater emphasis on disciplined inventory management and precise supply chain execution ahead of the fourth-quarter peak. Competition in the mid-to-high segment will intensify, centered on tangible, consumer-relevant differentiation — notably camera performance, battery life, display quality, 5G capability and fast charging — delivered at accessible price points.

Globally, the manufacturers best positioned for 2026 will be those that combine supply continuity and cost visibility with tighter SKU rationalization and clearer value propositions. Stronger channel partnerships, operational efficiency, financing support and a differentiated consumer experience will be critical levers for sustainable growth.