Apple iPhone Sales Fall 5% in Q4 as Global Market Share Slips

Market Share and Sales Performance - Apple's global smartphone market share declined by one percentage point to 18% last year [1][2] - iPhone sales in the fourth quarter dropped 5% year-over-year [1][2] - Apple sold 2% fewer smartphones globally in 2024 compared to the previous year [2] - The overall global smartphone market grew by 4% while Apple's sales declined by 2% [3] Product Performance and Consumer Trends - The iPhone 16 series received a mixed response, partly due to the lack of Apple Intelligence at launch [2][3] - Consumers are shifting towards Apple's ultra-high-end products, helping to offset some sales declines [5] - In markets like China, the sell-through share of Apple's Pro series devices is increasing significantly [5] Competitive Landscape - Samsung's global market share decreased from 20% to 19%, despite strong demand for its AI-positioned S24 series [5] - Xiaomi's market share increased from 13% to 14% [5] Stock Performance - Apple shares fell 1% in premarket trading but are up more than 25% over the past year [2]