Infinix Overtakes VGO Tel to Become Pakistan’s Biggest Locally Built Phone Brand

Pakistan’s top locally assembled smartphone brands saw major shifts in production between September and October 2025, with several companies recording strong month-on-month growth despite an overall slowdown in the industry. In October, Infinix led the market with 3.12 million locally assembled units, a sharp increase from 2.01 million units in September. VGO Tel followed with 2.82 million units, up from 2.12 million units the previous month. Itel also saw a strong rise, producing 2.06 million units in October compared to 1.53 million in September. Vivo’s local output increased from 1.38 million units in September to 2.27 million units in October, while Tecno’s numbers grew from 0.89 million to 1.62 million units over the same period. Samsung moved from 0.93 million units in September to 1.48 million in October, and Xiaomi rose from 1.04 million to 1.31 million units. Q Mobile increased slightly from 0.72 million units to 0.93 million units, and G’Five went up from 0.70 million to 0.84 million units. Realme, which was not among the top 10 in September, entered the list in October with 0.91 million assembled units. Nokia, which recorded 0.65 million units in September, dropped out of the top 10 in October. These brand-level gains come despite a broader industry decline. Overall, mobile phone manufacturing in Pakistan dropped 23% month-on-month in October, with total production falling to 2.33 million units due to high inventory levels across the market. According to PTA data compiled by Topline Securities, distributors and retailers are holding excess stock, prompting manufacturers to scale back output. Between January and October 2025, Pakistan assembled 25.11 million mobile phones, a 4% year-on-year decrease. Of this total, 53% were smartphones, and 47% were 2G devices. The country met 94% of its mobile phone demand through local assembly during the first ten months of the year, well above the long-term average. Looking ahead, analysts expect mobile phone sales to grow 7 to 8% over the next year, supported by a stable currency, lower inflation, and better purchasing power. Companies such as Airlink Communication (AIRLINK) and Lucky Cement (LUCK) are projected to benefit as their partnered brands, including Tecno, Xiaomi, and Samsung, rank among the top performers in the local market.