iPhone sales jumped 15 percent year-over-year in April and May, marking Apple’s strongest two-month performance for this period since the pandemic. The gains followed a slow start to the year and reflect a sharp recovery in demand, especially in China and the United States.
In China, Apple reclaimed the top smartphone vendor position in May. The company had recently lost ground to Huawei and other local brands that benefited from aggressive discounts and government-backed subsidies. Meanwhile, U.S. sales also rose, potentially driven by consumer concern over new tariffs as trade tensions resurfaced.
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Japan and India Show Steady Growth
Apple saw additional support from Japan and India. In Japan, the smaller and lower-priced iPhone 16e appealed to buyers who favor compact devices. The iPhone 16 base model and even older models like the iPhone 14 continued to perform well. India also maintained its growth path as Apple expanded local production and invested further in the market.
As reported by Counterpoint Research, AI features are not yet influencing smartphone purchases in a meaningful way. Analyst Jeff Fieldhack noted that “agentic AI is not quite a factor yet,” which gives Apple time to roll out Apple Intelligence and improve Siri across its devices.
According to Counterpoint’s senior analyst Ivan Lam, “Q2 iPhone performance looks promising at the moment.” He added that momentum in both the U.S. and China remains the key to sustaining growth, though China’s pace may depend on the continuation of subsidies and promotions.
While the global smartphone market remains unpredictable, Apple’s rebound in its top markets signals a shift. The company appears to be regaining its footing at a time when competitive pressure is growing.
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