Ahead of iPhone 17, Apple’s iPhone delivered its best Q3 results ever

Apple's A18-powered iPhone 16
Apple’s A18-powered iPhone 16

Apple’s iPhone achieved record-breaking shipment results in a July quarter. Additionally, demand for the new iPhone 17 series proved exceptionally strong, with pre-orders exceeding those of the prior generation.

According to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, global smartphone shipments increased 2.6% year-over-year (YoY) to 322.7 million units in the third quarter of 2025 (3Q25). The smartphone market continued its recovery, fueled by the premium segment as consumers upgraded to the latest devices, attracted by innovative form factors and more affordable AI-enabled smartphones.

“The smartphone industry continues its upward trajectory, posting solid growth — a remarkable achievement given persistent economic uncertainty and tumultuous tariff dynamics,” said Nabila Popal, senior research director for Worldwide Client Devices, IDC, in a statement. “OEMs have mastered the art of innovation not only in hardware and software to entice upgrades but also in removing purchase friction. They have flawlessly combined cutting-edge devices with innovative financing models and aggressive trade-in programs that make the upgrading decision a “no brainer” for consumers.”

“Despite economic uncertainty, the smartphone market showed resilience. Apple and Samsung posted strong results as their latest devices encouraged consumers to upgrade in the premium segment, while new, affordable AI-enabled smartphones also drove high upgrades in more affordable price categories,” said Francisco Jeronimo, vice president, Client Devices, IDC, in a statement. “Apple delivered its best results ever in a July quarter, while Samsung achieved its strongest July-quarter growth on record. Demand for Apple’s new iPhone 17 lineup was robust, with pre-orders surpassing those of the previous generation. At the same time, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 outperformed all earlier foldable models, creating renewed momentum for the foldables segment.”

Beyond the top two vendors, Xiaomi, Transsion, and vivo also recorded notable growth during the quarter. Xiaomi consolidated its recovery in Europe and Latin America, leveraging its Redmi Note and Poco series. Transsion continued to expand rapidly across North and East Africa, benefiting from strong distribution networks and a competitive portfolio in the sub-$200 segment. Vivo regained share in several emerging markets, supported by refreshed midrange devices with AI-enhanced imaging features and aggressive online promotions.

“Looking ahead, IDC maintains a positive outlook for 2025, anticipating that market momentum will continue through the final quarter of the year,” said Anthony Scarsella, research director for Mobile Phones at IDC, in a statement. “The accelerated demand for the latest AI-enabled products is expected to lead to a strong finish for 2025, driven by aggressive pricing promotions and robust product portfolios from leading vendors.”

IDC: Top 5 Companies, Worldwide Smartphone Shipments, Market Share, and Year-Over-Year Growth, Q3 2025 (Preliminary results, shipments in millions of units)

Notes:
● Data are preliminary and subject to change.
● Company shipments are branded device shipments and exclude OEM sales for all vendors.
● The “Company” represents the current parent company (or holding company) for all brands owned and operated as a subsidiary.
● Figures represent new shipments only and exclude refurbished units.
● IDC declares a statistical tie in the Smartphone market when there is a difference of one-tenth of one percent (0.1%) or less in the shipment shares among two or more companies.

MacDailyNews Take: Based on gross margins (Apple at 45%, Android average 10-15% based on vendor reports like Samsung’s ~10% smartphone margin), Apple accounts for 75-80% of the smartphone industry’s gross profits. Operating profit share is similar or higher (80-85%), as Apple’s efficiencies amplify the gap between real and pretend iPhones.



Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!

Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.

Source link

Visited 2 times, 2 visit(s) today

Related Article

5 Best Photo Enhancer Apps for iPhone and Android

In this article, we will highlight 5 of the best photo enhancer apps which will quickly improve the quality of your photos. Whether you want more polished social media content, cleaner product photos, or revitalized old photos, these apps put the power of professional photo enhancement in your hands, delivering amazing results in moments. What

Need Something Repaired? Now There’s an App for That

A new app with a straightforward name wants to make it easier for people to fix their stuff by helping them find trustworthy repair services near them. The Repair App launched today, on a day that’s being celebrated as International Repair Day. The app is currently available in beta form in the US and France,

The Easiest Ways to Make Your Slow Android Phone Feel New Again

If your Android is starting to lag so badly you’re tempted to throw it against a wall, hold off on spending hundreds of dollars on a new one. Let’s be brutally honest: your phone isn’t dying, it’s just suffocating under all the digital junk you’ve been hoarding. Those constant freezes and apps that take forever

Mobile Commerce Statistics 2025 (Market Size & Key Trends)

In 2025, over 1.65 billion people are expected to shop through their phones, accounting for nearly one-third of the global digital population. The global mobile commerce market itself is already worth trillions and is projected to grow at double-digit rates over the next decade. Over the past few years, mobile commerce or m-commerce has become

Word and Excel apps for iPhone and iPad not working for many

It seems something has gone terribly wrong with Microsoft’s Word and Excel apps for iOS and iPadOS. Complaints started pouring in yesterday, with users reporting everything from complete freezes to apps that crash within seconds of opening a document. One user on Reddit’s Excel community mentioned they had to screenshot their grocery list because the

Nvidia unveils first Blackwell chip wafer made with TSMC in US

(Reuters) – Nvidia (NVDA.O) uveiled on Friday the first U.S.-made Blackwell wafer, produced at TSMC’s (2330.TW) semiconductor manufacturing facility in Phoenix, as demand for AI chips accelerates. Companies have been racing to meet the broader AI industry’s voracious appetite for computing power as they develop AI technology that meets or exceeds human intelligence. The move