Apple Retains Smartphone Leadership as Its Chinese Shipments Soared Over 28% in Q4

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is one of the 15 Best S&P 500 Stocks to Look For in 2026.

On January 12, Reuters reported that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) led the smartphone market with a 20% share worldwide. Apple’s iPhone 17 series had strong sales and gained demand in emerging and mid-sized markets, according to Counterpoint analyst Varun Mishra. The promising sign for Apple is that it reclaimed its top spot in China’s smartphone market after iPhone shipments soared 28% during Q4 2025. The rebound suggests that there is still robust demand for premium phones, as per Counterpoint Research.

Overall, smartphone shipments increased 2% year over year in 2025, driven by higher demand and economic momentum in emerging markets. However, Counterpoint expects global smartphone demand to soften in 2026 due to chip shortages and rising component costs, as chipmakers move towards AI datacenters over handsets, added Tarun Pathak, research director at Counterpoint.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is a tech giant that designs, manufactures, and sells smartphones, personal computers, wearables, and accessories worldwide.

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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.