According to market research firm Counterpoint Research, Apple’s 2025 shipments marked 10% year-on-year increase, the highest growth among the top five brands.
- Apple’s shipment surge was driven by strong sales of the iPhone 17 series and continued demand for the iPhone 16.
- Looking ahead, Counterpoint predicts a slowdown in 2026 due to rising DRAM and NAND costs.
- Memory now accounts for over 10% of the iPhone 17 Pro Max bill of materials, compared with just 8% in the iPhone 12 Pro Max in 2020.
Apple Inc. (AAPL) grabbed 20% of the global smartphone market in 2025, boosted by the launch of the iPhone 17, but faces a potential 50% spike in DRAM prices as AI data centers compete with smartphones for memory bandwidth, according to the latest industry data.
According to market research firm Counterpoint Research, worldwide smartphone shipments rose by 2% year-over-year in 2025, fueled by strong interest in high-end devices and growing adoption of 5G in emerging economies.
Apple Tops Market Share
Apple’s 2025 shipments marked 10% year-on-year increase, the highest growth among the top five brands. The research firm attributed the success to strong sales of the iPhone 17 series and continued demand for the iPhone 16 in regions such as Japan, India, and Southeast Asia.
Analyst Varun Mishra noted that the pandemic-era upgrade cycle also contributed to a surge in replacement demand.
“Apple’s growth in 2025 was driven by its expanding presence and rising demand across emerging and mid‑size markets, supported by a stronger product mix.”
- Varun Mishra, Senior Analyst, Counterpoint Research
Apple stock inched 0.1% lower in Monday’s premarket. On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around the stock remained in ‘extremely bullish’ territory while message volume changed to ‘high’ from ‘extremely high’ levels in 24 hours.
2026 Outlook
Looking ahead, Counterpoint predicts a slowdown in 2026 due to rising DRAM and NAND costs and the prioritization of AI data center components over smartphone production.
“The global smartphone market is set to soften in 2026 amid DRAM/NAND shortages and rising component costs, as chipmakers prioritize AI data centers over smartphones.”
-Tarun Pathak, Research Director, Counterpoint Research
For instance, memory now accounts for over 10% of the iPhone 17 Pro Max bill of materials, compared with just 8% in the iPhone 12 Pro Max in 2020. Flagship devices. The firm predicted that memory costs could rise by 40%-50% in the fourth-quarter of 2025, with similar growth projected in the first-quarter of 2026 and around 20% in the second-quarter.
However, Pathak stated that Chinese OEMs focusing on low-end devices may feel the greatest pressure, while Apple and Samsung are expected to remain more resilient due to strong supply chains and premium positioning.
AAPL stock has gained over 10% in the last 12 months.
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