Omdia: iPhone 17 gives Apple’s strongest ever Q3 performance
Confirming wide opinion, Apple’s iPhone slightly exceeded smartphone industry growth in Q3 25, experiencing a 4% increase against the 3% industry average and putting Apple neck and neck with Samsung in the race.
iPhone shipments up 4% as industry growth hits 3%
The latest research from Omdia confirms recovery in the smartphone market as major vendors Apple and Samsung introduced new devices. Apple grew iPhone shipments by 4% achieving its strongest Q3 performance ever, as early demand for the iPhone 17 series helped it secure 18% share.
Samsung took 19% market share, supported by sustained volume strength of its Galaxy A series alongside an upgraded 7th generation foldable portfolio.
This season’s hardware launches have captured people’s attention with vendors increasing manufacturing targets.
Apple’s strategy works
“Returning demand also enforces the importance of effective portfolio segmentation, where the iPhone 17 series have been a clear stand-out,” said Le Xuan Chiew, Research Manager at Omdia.
“The base iPhone 17 exceeded launch expectations with upgraded storage at unchanged pricing, while the redesigned iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max continue to attract consumers globally. iPhone Air’s shipments remain modest, but its marketing effectiveness has proven strong, and serves as a core technical testbed for Apple, potentially positioning Apple for future form factor innovations.”
It’s not just hardware, of course, because as competition intensifies manufacturers are being forced to try to exploit their device ecosystems to stay afloat.
Apple has a head start on this with its huge suite of services, which enables the company to maintain profitability even in tough quarters based on recuring subscription revenue and sign-ups.
The need for attachment sales
But in a politically unstable environment characterized by fluctuations across the value chain, “Competitive pressures in the current market are intense, and many vendors are experiencing significant strain on profitability,” said Runar Bjørhovde, Senior Analyst at Omdia.
“The reality is that neither competition nor BoM costs will see short-term relief, making it essential for vendors to capture wider opportunities to grow revenues and differentiate themselves in the market,” he said.
“Subscription services, accessories, bundles and ecosystem upsell have all become key focus areas for strengthening consumer propositions, keeping monetization paths in mind.”
“The challenge of implementing will be especially acute in emerging markets, where entry-level devices dominate. Here, avoiding price wars through offering financing options can make operational models more sustainable while keeping devices accessible to consumers – for whom smartphones make a transformative difference,” he added. Though perhaps Apple can serve up some localized media surprises there…
Tim Cook welcomes customers for the grand opening of Apple Downtown Detroit and the launch of the latest generation of iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods Pro.
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