Here’s What’s What in Zimbabwe’s Phone Market Right Now
- Samsung is the dominant brand with a massive 40% of the market
- Chinese brands together actually control 42% of our phones
- Yes, there are plenty of iPhones around (10%) – mostly refurbished ones
- That Tecno, Itel and Infinix you see everywhere? All one company called Transsion
Samsung Still Reigns Supreme
No surprises here – Samsung continues to crush it in Zimbabwe with a whopping 40% market share over the past year. That’s basically 4 out of every 10 smartphones you’ll spot in a kombi or social outing!
Why are they so popular? Well, they’ve got phones at pretty much every price point. Whether you’re after an affordable Galaxy A0x series or saving up for that fancy S series or even Z Fold, Samsung has something for everyone. Plus, they’ve been in Zimbabwe forever, so finding spares (screens, batteries and such) is usually no hassle.
The Chinese Invasion is Real
While Samsung might look unbeatable on its own, there’s something interesting happening when you look at the bigger picture. Chinese phone brands have quietly taken over a huge chunk of our market.
When you add up Huawei (17%), Itel (10%), Tecno (7%), Xiaomi (4%), Infinix (1%), Oppo (1%), Vivo (1%), Honor (0.4%), and ZTE (0.2%), these Chinese brands collectively make up about 42% of all smartphones being used in Zimbabwe. That’s actually bigger than Samsung!
What’s really surprising is how Huawei is still hanging on at 17% market share. Remember all those US sanctions that basically cut them off from Google services? That’s made their new phones pretty tough to use outside China.
This suggests most Huawei users in Zim are probably holding onto older models that still have Google, or they’ve figured out workarounds (we see you, diehard Huawei fans).
The Transsion Trick – One Company, Three Brands
Ever noticed how Tecno, Itel and Infinix phones seem to be everywhere these days? Well, here’s a little secret – they’re all actually made by the same company: Transsion Holdings.
This Chinese company has absolutely nailed the African market with a pretty clever strategy. They basically create different brands targeting different price points, but all with the same basic approach: make phones that look and feel premium but cost way less.
Transsion’s not shy about borrowing design ideas from the big players, either. Earlier this year, they dropped the Itel S25 Ultra just weeks before Samsung’s big Galaxy S25 series launch launch. Coincidence? We think not! 😂
Together, Transsion’s three brands capture about 18% of Zimbabwe’s smartphone market – not bad for a company most people have never even heard of!
Yep, iPhones Are Actually Popular Here
Surprised to see Apple holding a solid 10% of our market? At first glance, it doesn’t make much sense. With new iPhones costing more than many people earn in months, how are they so common?
The answer is simple: mabhero. Most iPhones in Zimbabwe are refurbished or second-hand. When people in the US, UK, and other wealthy countries trade in their old iPhones for new ones, those devices get refurbished and find their way to markets like ours.
This creates a thriving “second-life market” for iPhones. Walk through Harare CBD or Bulawayo and you’ll spot plenty of young people clutching iPhones that may be several years old but still carry that Apple status symbol.
The Old Guard is All But Gone
Remember when everyone had a Nokia? Those days are long gone. The once-dominant brand now holds just 2% of Zimbabwe’s smartphone market. Pour one out for the 3310!
Other global brands like Motorola (0.3%), Google (0.3%), and Sony (0.1%) barely register here. Where are you Pixel fans?
How Accurate is This Data, Really?
Let’s be real for a second. This data comes from StatCounter GlobalStats (gs.statcounter.com) and covers the period ending April 2025. While it gives us a good general picture, there are some limitations worth mentioning.
StatCounter mainly collects its data through web analytics – basically tracking what devices are used to visit websites in their network. This means it probably over-counts people who browse the web a lot and under-counts those who mainly use WhatsApp and make calls.
The data also doesn’t tell us if phones are new or used, or account for people with multiple phones (and we know plenty of Zimbos have a “good phone” and a “backup phone”!). There’s also the question of which websites are part of StatCounter’s tracking network – they might not be the ones most Zimbabweans visit.
Despite these limitations, the data gives us a pretty decent snapshot of what phones people are using around the country.
What’s Next for Zimbabwe’s Phone Market?
As our network coverage improves and data gets (slightly) more affordable, more people will continue to upgrade from their mbudzis/ndorindoris to smartphones.
The battle between Samsung and the Chinese brands will probably get even more intense, which is good news for us consumers – more competition usually means better prices! You can already see this, there are several phones on the market now with 256GB that are less than $100.
Budget-conscious shoppers (aka most of us) will continue finding value in brands like Tecno, Itel, and Infinix, while those with deeper pockets can go for Samsung flagships or iPhones.
What phone are you using right now? Does it match what our data shows is popular, or are you rocking something different? Drop a comment below and let us know!
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