Apple Grabs China iPhone Crown in May
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) snagged the top spot for iPhone sales in China in May as global shipments climbed 15% year-over-year in April and May, Counterpoint Research data shows.
The rebound in Apple's two biggest marketsChina and the U.S.drove much of the gain, with China Academy of Information and Communications Technology figures backing up Counterpoint's findings: April foreign-brand phone shipments in China rose to 3.52 million units from 3.50 million a year earlier.
Beyond North America and Greater China, Apple saw double-digit growth in Japan, India and Middle Eastern markets, reflecting successful tariff-dodge strategies and robust demand for its latest models.
Counterpoint senior analyst Ivan Lam said Q2 looks promising but warned that swings either way are dictated by the U.S. and China, underscoring Apple's reliance on those two regions.
Despite soaring sales, Apple still faces stiff competition from Huawei, vivo and other domestic brands that have ramped up marketing and value-priced handsets in China. Revenue impact hinges on whether Apple can sustain momentum against local rivals and manage its premium pricing in the face of broader economic pressures.
The May surge follows Apple's strategic push to diversify its supply chainshifting more assembly to India and Vietnam to mitigate tariff risksand aggressive promotions in mature and emerging markets.
With the iPhone 15 lineup mid-cycle and iOS 18 beta testing underway, Apple is betting that software upgrades and services bundling can reinforce hardware appeal.
Why It Matters: Dominating Chinaa market that accounts for roughly 20% of Apple's revenuesignals healthy demand for high-end smartphones and could bolster Apple's overall growth outlook amid macro headwinds.
This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
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