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Apple Grows as Global Smartphone Sales Decline

MacRumors •
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Apple gained ground in India, Latin America, and Europe even as all three markets contracted, according to a new series of Counterpoint Research reports.

Between late March and the beginning of August, Indian smartphone sales ran 14% behind the equivalent stretch of 2025, and the market slipped for three straight weeks once major promotions in July had finished. Apple outperformed every rival with a 15% rise, which Counterpoint attributes to strong iPhone 17 demand holding up alongside continued affordability offers. Samsung and OPPO each grew just 4% in the country.

Latin American smartphone shipments fell 10% in the second quarter, which is the region's steepest annual drop since the third quarter of 2023. Apple and Samsung were the only brands to grow, by 5% and 6% respectively, while Motorola, HONOR, and Xiaomi all receded in the market. Apple's gains apparently came from absorbing component cost increases rather than passing them on to customers, and the company now accounts for roughly 51% of everything sold above $600 in the region.

European shipments dropped 10% to 35 million units, which is the weakest second quarter in three years. Apple added nine percentage points of market share to achieve parity with Samsung, with each now on 34%, and Xiaomi on 15%. No other brands sit above 4%. The smartphone market in China was down 8.6% across the first 30 weeks of the year, with the rate of decline widening back into double digits once the popular 618 shopping festival had concluded. Apple's sales have slowed since July, with discounts pulled back across retail channels and much of the summer's demand already spent during promotions. Counterpoint expects that lull to last until the new iPhone lineup arrives.