AI Phones Kept Smartphone Sales Moving In Q3 2025
Global smartphone shipments rose 2.6% to 322.7 million units in Q3 2025. Demand centered on premium and AI-focused models, even with economic and tariff worries in the background.
Samsung led with 61.4 million units, its best September quarter. Apple shipped 58.6 million iPhones, helped by strong iPhone 17 pre-orders and nearly 3% growth.
Foldables finally hit their stride: the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 outperformed earlier versions. Industry trackers expect momentum to continue as AI features improve and promotions stack up.
Why sales teams should care
- Premium buyers are spending. Price resistance softens when AI features, camera upgrades, and trade-in deals line up.
- Foldables are moving from curiosity to credible upgrade. Treat them as both status and productivity devices.
- Promotions matter. Financing, trade-ins, and carrier bundles are doing the heavy lifting at checkout.
- Market resilience is back. Despite macro noise, demand is steady for top-tier devices.
What to sell and how to position it
- Lead with outcomes, not specs: faster on-device assistance, smarter camera tools, and time saved.
- Demo > brochure: short, repeatable AI demos close gaps in price and trust.
- Bundle the experience: device + protection + accessories + cloud services for higher average order value.
- Use trade-in math: show net price after credit and monthly financing to reduce sticker shock.
- Segment the pitch:
- Creators: camera AI, storage, editing speed.
- Executives: foldable multitasking, call quality, battery life.
- Field teams: durability, connectivity, offline AI features.
- Pre-order urgency: limited-time bonuses, early delivery windows, and exclusive colors convert fence-sitters.
Channel tactics that work right now
- Carrier attach: stack trade-ins, multi-line discounts, and service bundles for the cleanest pitch.
- Retail flow: set up a 2-minute AI demo loop and a simple side-by-side foldable hands-on test.
- Enterprise accounts: tie upgrades to security, device management, and standardized app stacks, not just hardware.
- Post-sale follow-up: push accessory and protection add-ons within 7 days of purchase.
Forecasting and pipeline
- Time your pushes around promo drops and pay cycles. These spikes are predictable-plan events and outbound accordingly.
- Weight pipeline toward premium SKUs where promo support is strongest. Conversion is higher and churn is lower.
- Track foldable demand by segment and region; it's uneven but growing. Place inventory where demo stations exist.
90-day action plan
- Build a 3-step AI demo script and train every rep. Keep it under two minutes.
- Refresh trade-in calculators and one-pagers to show monthly pricing first.
- Stand up a foldable experience corner: side-by-side multitasking, video, and notes tests.
- Run a pre-order playbook: early-bird bonuses, partner co-marketing, and waitlist outreach.
- Set KPIs: demo rate, bundle attach, and trade-in utilization. Review weekly.
Sources and further reading
Analyst outlook continues to point to steady demand for premium and AI-forward phones. See IDC's smartphone market tracker for broader context.
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