Market research firm Counterpoint has just released its newest global smartphone SoC market data, with MediaTek hitting the top of the chart for Q1 2025. According to the report, MediaTek had a 26% share of the smartphone SoC market as the demand for entry-level and mainstream chips increased.
The smartphone SoC market is ever changing as brands fight to reclaim its throne. MediaTek: The company that stepped up this quarter, riding high on the success of its mid-range chipsets, in particular the Dimensity 8400. Even with a leakage in premium-tier destinating, this processor has mated the mid-to-high-end foothold. That performance led MediaTek to a commanding lead in the smartphone SoC space.
Qualcomm closely follows MediaTek with a 28% share of the smartphone SoC market. Qualcomm has flat QoQ volume for its premium-tier but its premium-tier stays very strong. Qualcomm has also maintained its stronghold in the smartphone SoC space, in part due to the Snapdragon 8 Elite (which delivers almost all of the flagship phones we covered, such as Samsung’s Galaxy S25 series).
Apple comes third with a 17% of smartphone SoC market share. The iPhone 16e and its A18 chip drove incremental year-over-year gains in shipments, but seasonal slowdowns constrained its quarter-over-quarter growth. That said, Apple is still the top supplier of smartphone SoCs—at least in the high-end.
As for the fourth and fifth places, it goes to UNISOC and Samsung. UNISOC had a 10% share of the smartphone SoC market but was also forced to reduce shipments amid weak LTE demand.
Still, its budget products under $99 were a hit. Samsung’s Exynos division achieves an incremental increase in the smartphone SoC space on the back of devices such as the Galaxy A56 with Exynos 1580 as well as the A16 5G with Exynos 1330.
The sixth position was occupied by HiSilicon of Huawei with a 4% share of the smartphone SoC market. Despite the fall in its quarterly shipments, the brand retained a comfortable position in the market, thanks to the strong loyalty in China. Huawei called on these devices to help with its performance, including the Nova 13 with Kirin 8010 and Mate 70 with Kirin 9020, though these are new phones that won’t be released until 2024.
Smartphone SoC Market Rankings — Q1 2025 Meanwhile, the phone chipset landscape would be highly competitive. This indicates increasing dominance of MediaTek in leading with volume in the HIGH VOLUME budget and midrange SEGMENTS. Smartphone SoC market share trends for Q2 2023 show a strong flagship position for Qualcomm and a vibrant and dynamic market with Apple, UNISOC, Samsung, and Huawei bringing up the rear.
The smartphone SoC market is set to see further shifts in the next few quarters as 5G expansion continues and consumer needs evolve. As we see players shell out for both innovation and affordability, the Smartphone SoC showdown promises to go on.
