Preliminary data released by research firm IDC on Monday showed that Apple's smartphone shipments rose in the third quarter, thanks to strong demand for its flagship devices and the launch of the artificial intelligence-enabled iPhone 16 series in September. Data show that Apple’s iPhone shipments in the third quarter increased by 3.5% from the same period last year to 56 million units, and its market share was relatively stable at 17.7%.
IDC said sales of older iPhones, especially the iPhone 15, were "exceptionally good" in the third quarter, attributing the growth to heavy promotions and Apple Intelligence marketing efforts.
The research firm said iPhone sales are likely to continue to grow as the holiday season approaches as consumers look to replace their devices with new artificial intelligence phones.
According to IDC data, global smartphone shipments increased by 4.0% in the third quarter, reaching 316.1 million units.
Samsung Electronics remains the world's largest smartphone seller, although third-quarter shipments fell 2.8% to 57.8 million units.