(Image source from: 9to5mac.com)
When prices for RAM go up and companies are having a hard time growing, Apple has shown why it is different from others in the market. According to a new report by Counterpoint Research, Apple has taken the top spot in the market for the first time during a first quarter. The report mentioned that the high demand for the iPhone 17 is the main reason for the company’s growth. It states that Apple’s smartphone shipments increased by 5 percent compared to last year in the first quarter of this year, while some other brands experienced a drop in their shipments by 19 percent during the same time. Apple had a 21 percent share of the market in this period. The report highlights that while other companies struggled with rising memory prices, Apple was not affected much due to its premium products and well-organized supply chain. Additional factors for Apple’s success included strong trade-in offers and high customer loyalty. The company also saw significant growth outside of its main market, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, which includes countries like China, India, and Japan.
Besides Apple, other brands that are not from China, like Google and Nothing, reported their highest annual growth rates at 14 percent and 25 percent, respectively. However, their sales numbers are still low, and they do not rank among the top five. The second spot on the list went to Samsung with a 20 percent market share, followed by Xiaomi in third with 12 percent. Samsung and Xiaomi saw their market shares drop by 6 percent and 19 percent, respectively. Oppo and Vivo took the fourth and fifth spots with market shares of 11 percent and 8 percent, respectively. Their market shares fell by 4 percent and 2 percent. The industry is currently facing challenges because of the rising demand for memory used in AI servers. This situation has led to higher RAM prices, making many companies increase the prices of their products.
Meanwhile, it is predicted that Apple will not release the iPhone 18 in 2026. Instead, reports indicate that the company intends to introduce the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and a foldable iPhone in September, while pushing back the standard iPhone 18 launch to spring 2027, along with the iPhone 18e. A leaker on Weibo known as Fixed Focus Digital has suggested that the standard iPhone 18 will not feature significant changes in its design, except for minor adjustments to its size.
