(Bloomberg) — Apple Inc.’s iPhone shipments held steady in the April-June quarter as growth in the overall smartphone market accelerated, according to an independent research firm.
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Global smartphone shipments grew 6.5 percent, according to IDC, while sales to consumers rose 6 percent, according to figures from Counterpoint Research. Aggressive discounting around China’s 618 shopping festival helped lure consumers in the world’s largest mobile market, where Xiaomi and a resurgent Huawei have made inroads this year. The new survey adds to data released by Chinese authorities that shows the iPhone has been recovering since March.
According to IDC, Apple shipped 45.2 million phones in the quarter, up 1.5% from the same period a year ago. Counterpoint’s figure for end-user sales showed a 1% decline, with both research groups attributing market share losses to the iPhone. Xiaomi saw the biggest growth, led by entry-level phones and emerging markets.
In China, the iPhone has faced pressure from domestic companies as well as a government ban on foreign devices in state-run workplaces.Price cuts and the promise of new artificial intelligence enhancements have helped stabilize sales for Apple and market leader Samsung Electronics Co., which is also touting a new generation of phones with added AI capabilities.
“Apple’s momentum in the second quarter was a significant improvement from the negative growth in the first quarter,” said Nabila Popal, research director at IDC. “This was due in part to deep discounts and promotions in many regions, but also to a recovery in customer confidence after WWDC, where Apple finally unveiled its AI strategy.”
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