Where the scale is (Q2 2025)
- Latin America (34.3M units, +2% YoY): Samsung kept a wide lead (≈32% share), with Xiaomi ~20% and HONOR ~8% after record quarters. Translation for UA: Galaxy + Redmi/POCO placements cover half the market in many Spanish-speaking countries.
- Middle East (ex-Turkey) (13.2M units, +15% YoY — fastest globally): demand hit a six-year high. Samsung surged on refreshed A-series; HONOR nearly doubled shipments. If you need quick reach in GCC, Samsung + HONOR + Xiaomi placements deliver immediate scale.
- Africa (19.2M units, +7% YoY): Transsion (TECNO, itel, Infinix) owns ~51% of shipments; Samsung sits near 18% and Xiaomi ~14%. For on-device, this is the most OEM-concentrated region on earth; opt for Transsion-first routes for true coverage.
- Southeast Asia (25.0M units, −1% YoY): Xiaomi retook #1 (19% share) and Transsion moved to #2 (18%). For budget-sensitive growth in ID/PH/TH/VN, Redmi/POCO and Infinix/TECNO inventory is where you win scale.
Why “device share = OEM reach” matters for budgets
On-device channels monetize differently than networks: you’re buying privileged surfaces (setup flows, OEM stores, lock screens). Where one vendor dominates, inventory is denser, CAC volatility falls, and payback becomes more predictable. This is reinforced by platform moves:
- Samsung Galaxy Store cut its platform take to 20% (80/20) on paid apps/IAPs and 15% on subscriptions from May 15, 2025, improving store-driven LTV and ROI math for OEM campaigns.
- Digital Turbine’s on-device business (Ignite, ODS) reported $95.4M revenue in the June quarter, underscoring advertiser demand for preload/discovery at scale.
- Lock-screen discovery is maturing: Glance x Samsung launched AI shopping experiences for US Galaxy users—evidence that OEM surfaces are evolving into measurable, commerce-ready inventory that will continue to globalize.
- App store footprint is expanding: vivo’s V-Appstore added distribution in 16 new countries (June 2025), widening SEA/MEA opportunities for on-device promos and feature slots.
Playbook: turning market share into UA scale
- Build a vendor×geo matrix before budgets.
For each target country in LATAM/MEA/SEA, map Top-5 vendor share and align preload, OEM store promo, and lock-screen options to those vendors. Prioritize 2–3 OEMs per region that collectively cover ≥60% of shipments. (Examples above: Transsion in Africa; Xiaomi+Transsion in SEA; Samsung+Xiaomi in LATAM; Samsung+HONOR in GCC). - Exploit store economics.
When running Galaxy Store featuring and paid placements, re-forecast LTV with 80/20 / 85/15 economics; route trials/subscriptions via Samsung Checkout where appropriate to capture the higher developer share. - Sequence placements for CAC stability.
Start with preloads / setup-wizard in the dominant OEM for rapid install density, then layer store featuring and lock-screen cards for sustained, lower-CPI volume. Monitor D0–D7 value density and geo-by-geo CAC variance; shift budget to the OEM with the best payback glide in each region. (Rising shipment trends in MEA/LATAM improve the odds of consistent supply). - Localize creative to device reality.
Transsion and entry-level Redmi device bases skew toward utility + entertainment bundles; highlight offline modes, battery, and data-light value props. For GCC premium Android share, showcase AI features and finance offers popular in the region. - Measure incrementality across OEM touchpoints.
Treat preloads, store features, and lock-screen impressions as distinct paths to first open; use geo-level reporting and cohort tests to avoid double-paying for the same users as volumes rise.
Bottom line
In 2025, OEM traffic is a market-share game. In LATAM, MEA, and SEA, vendor concentration gives you the cleanest path to scaled on-device UA; provided your plan follows who actually ships the phones in each country. Anchor your buys to Samsung/Xiaomi/HONOR in LATAM, Transsion-first in Africa, and Xiaomi+Transsion (with Samsung) across SEA; then refine with store economics (Galaxy Store 80/20), lock-screen reach, and expanding alternative stores like V-Appstore. That’s how you turn shipment share into predictable CAC and faster payback.
