HONOR Accelerates Overseas Growth in 2025, with the Middle East Emerging as a Strategic Growth Engine

Manal Saleh

·        HONOR recorded the strongest overseas growth among the world’s top ten smartphone vendors

·        The Middle East & Africa emerged as HONOR’s primary incremental growth engine in 2025

Riyadh, KSA, 22 January 2026 – HONOR, a global AI device ecosystem company, today announced strong overseas performance in 2025, underscoring the accelerating role of international markets as a central pillar of its global growth strategy. According to the latest analysis by leading industry analyst Omdia, HONOR recorded approximately 55%[1] year-on-year growth in overseas smartphone shipments during the first three quarters of 2025, representing the strongest overseas growth among the world’s top ten smartphone vendors. Performance that reflects a fundamental transformation in HONOR’s global footprint.

Overseas markets, which accounted for less than 10% of the company’s global shipments in 2021, now represent nearly half of total volume. This structural shift signals a clear strategic inflection point, with international operations evolving from a marginal source of incremental growth into a core driver of scale, geographic diversification, and long-term operational resilience.

Industry confidence in HONOR’s trajectory remains strong. Commenting on the outlook, Omdia analyst Lucas Zhong said, “HONOR is likely to maintain the lead of overseas shipment growth through the full year.”

Disciplined Premium Positioning Underpins Sustainable Growth

HONOR’s overseas expansion has been shaped by a deliberate focus on higher-quality, value-led growth. While many Chinese smartphone vendors remain concentrated in entry-level price tiers, HONOR has prioritized the US$300–499 segment, which accounted for around 23% of its overseas shipments in 1Q–3Q 2025, the highest proportion among major Chinese peers.

This positioning reflects a clear emphasis on disciplined branding, channel execution, and product differentiation. HONOR has strengthened engagement with branded retail networks and key account partners, aligned product development with local consumer insights, and focused on battery endurance, durability, and AI-enabled experiences tailored to diverse international markets.

Marketing execution has also evolved beyond traditional awareness-driven approaches. In-store demonstrations and experiential retail initiatives now play a central role in showcasing AI capabilities and converting innovation into tangible consumer value, supporting sustained adoption and continued average selling price uplift.

Middle East & Africa Emerges as the Primary Incremental Growth Engine

Building on strong regional fundamentals, HONOR has continued to strengthen its premium channel presence across the Middle East, deepening partnerships with operators, national electronics retailers, and branded retail formats, particularly across core GCC markets. This channel-first approach has enhanced brand visibility, reinforced pricing discipline, and supported consistent execution across both flagship and midrange portfolios.

From a portfolio perspective, HONOR has positioned the midrange segment as the primary volume driver, while leveraging flagship devices to reinforce brand credentials within premium retail environments. Experiential retail initiatives, including dedicated AI demonstration zones and flagship store formats, have further elevated consumer engagement and translated product differentiation into measurable in-store impact.

As a result, HONOR delivered robust year-on-year shipment growth across key Middle Eastern markets during 1Q–3Q 2025, with strong momentum in Iraq, Qatar, and Kuwait, alongside steady expansion in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, collectively underscoring the Middle East’s growing strategic importance within HONOR’s global expansion roadmap.

A Differentiated Global Strategy Supports Long-Term Resilience

Beyond the Middle East, HONOR continues to execute a differentiated overseas strategy designed to balance scale, value, and long-term sustainability across key international markets.

Europe anchors HONOR’s overseas premiumization efforts. The company maintained top five positions in core Western European markets such as the UK and France, while the Magic V5 secured second place in Western Europe’s book-style foldable segment. Continued investment in channel expansion and brand building across Central and Eastern Europe supported steady momentum, with shipments increasing by 15% during 1Q–3Q 2025.

Latin America remains the backbone of overseas shipment volumes, underpinned by strong alignment with operator-led channel structures in core markets including Mexico and Central America.

South-Eastern Asia is emerging as the next growth frontier, supported by the gradual buildout of local manufacturing and channel capabilities, alongside increasing traction for flagship models.

As HONOR’s overseas business continues to scale in both volume and value, its international operations are increasingly defined by disciplined execution, localized strategies, and a clear focus on sustainable premium growth, positioning the company to maintain momentum beyond 2025 and further strengthen its standing as a globally competitive smartphone brand.

ABOUT HONOR

HONOR is a global leading AI device ecosystem company. It is committed to revolutionizing human-to-device interactions to bridge the AI ecosystem with all consumers in the agentic AI era and beyond. The company endeavours to open industrial boundaries through open, seamless collaboration to co-create a value-sharing ecosystem with industry partners. With an innovative product portfolio spanning AI phones, PCs, tablets, wearables, and more, HONOR aims to empower every human, enabling everyone to embrace the new intelligent world.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Yasmeen Hinnawi

HONOR PR Manager – KSA

Email: Yasmeenhinnawi@honor.com