iPhone sales rise amid sluggish global phone market
Apple managed to increase its smartphone sales in India, Latin America, and Europe amid a global downward trend in phone sales, according to a report from technology research firm Counterpoint Research.
As reported by Macrumors on Friday (21/8) local time, smartphone sales in India fell 14 percent in the period from late March to early August compared with the same period in 2025.
The decline continued for three weeks after various major promotional programmes held in July came to an end.
Amid these conditions, Apple recorded sales growth of 15 percent, the highest compared with other brands.
Samsung and Oppo, meanwhile, each recorded growth of only around 4 percent in the Indian market.
The research firm assessed that promotional programmes run by various brands tended to shift consumers’ purchase timing from before or after the promotional period, rather than genuinely strengthening the market in the country.
In Latin America, smartphone sales fell 10 percent in the second quarter of 2026. This period marked the largest annual decline in the region since the third quarter of 2023.
Apple and Samsung were the two phone brands that still recorded growth, at 5 percent and 6 percent respectively. Sales of Motorola, HONOR, and Xiaomi, meanwhile, declined.
Apple now controls around 51 percent of the market for phones priced above US$600, or around Rp10 million, in Latin America.
A similar situation occurred in Europe. Smartphone sales in the region fell 10 percent to 35 million units in the second quarter. That period was the weakest second-quarter performance in the past three years.
Apple, however, managed to increase its market share by nine percentage points. Apple now holds a 34 percent market share, level with Samsung. Xiaomi was next with a 15 percent share. No other brand held a share above 4 percent.
Unlike India, Latin America, and Europe, the Chinese market remains a challenge for Apple. Smartphone sales in the country fell 8.6 percent in the first 30 weeks of 2026.
The decline returned to double digits after the end of the 618 shopping festival, which had previously boosted sales.
Apple’s phone sales also began to slow from July after a number of gadget retailers reduced discounts. Some consumer demand during the summer was also considered to have already been absorbed while promotional programmes were running.
Counterpoint Research expects these conditions to persist until Apple introduces its latest generation of iPhone models.
Huawei, meanwhile, continues to lead the Chinese market, controlling more than a fifth of weekly sales since April.
Counterpoint Research expects memory supply constraints and high component prices to continue until the end of 2026. A full market recovery is estimated to occur no earlier than 2028.
Apple itself is predicted to introduce its latest iPhone lineup in September, including the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Ultra.