• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechThe Mobile Executive

Apple’s iPhone Is in Better Shape Than Some Might Think

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 10, 2016, 12:59 PM ET
A man uses his iPhone during a preview event at the new Apple Store Williamsburg in Brooklyn, New York
A man uses his iPhone during a preview event at the new Apple Store Williamsburg in Brooklyn, New York, U.S., July 28, 2016. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly - RTSK4MNAndrew Kelly — Reuters

Apple’s financials suggest the company’s iPhone business is in a (temporary) nosedive. But new data analyzing the broader smartphone market worldwide proves things aren’t all bad.

Market research firm Kantar Worldpanel said in a report this week that Apple’s iPhone U.S. shipments in the first quarter grew 1.3 percentage points year-over-year in the second quarter, accounting for 31.8% percent of all sales during the period. Android devices, meanwhile, accounted for 65.5% of all smartphone sales. That’s down a bit from the 66.1% market share Android had last year.

Perhaps more importantly for Apple (AAPL), the company’s iPhone 6s and 6s Plus line was the top-selling smartphone last quarter, accounting for 15.1% of all smartphone sales, Kantar reported. The iPhone topped Samsung’s Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge devices, which were able to capture 14.1% of the market. Apple’s cheaper and smaller iPhone SE was the third-best-selling smartphone at 5.1% market share.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter

The findings are part of a broader market report from Kantar on the state and health of the smartphone industry. Earlier on Wednesday, Fortune reported that LG’s cheap yet appealing smartphones are actually gaining ground on Apple and Samsung, accounting for 14% of worldwide sales. LG’s gains have come mainly in the budget-friendly end of the market, where the company’s smartphones stack up well.

While the survey shows that Apple is still popular in the U.S., it stands in stark contrast to the company’s own report on the third-quarter fiscal period ended June 25. Apple reported last month that worldwide iPhone unit sales were down 15% year-over-year to 40.4 million. The company’s iPhone revenue topped $24 billion, but that was down 23% year-over-year.

The difference, it appears, could be attributable to Apple’s international troubles—specifically China. According to Kantar, Apple lost 1.8 percentage points on its Chinese market share in the second quarter, and the company is now behind China-based smartphone manufacturers Huawei and Xiaomi, in terms of overall shipments. The findings follow Apple’s earnings, which showed a year-over-year 33% revenue decline in China during its last-reported quarter.

That said, the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus are still the best-selling smartphones in China, according to the report.

Another part of Apple’s success worldwide was due to the company’s iPhone SE, a cheap, 4-inch smartphone that launched earlier this year. Analysts and Apple have both said that demand is high, and Kantar’s own checks in countries around the world suggest the same.

Looking ahead, analysts aren’t sure how the iPhone SE might impact the company’s smartphone shipments. Typically, Kantar notes, Apple has a “weaker summer period” as customers wait for the new iPhone that usually launches in September. However, the research firm believes the iPhone SE could bolster Apple’s smartphone unit until it unveils its next flagship smartphone.

For more about Apple’s iPhone, watch:

“Sales data shows that 49% of U.S. iPhone owners and 51% of Chinese iPhone owners own an iPhone 5s or older,” the research firm said in the report “This represents a large opportunity to upgrade these consumers to the latest four-inch iPhone.”

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

InvestingHealth
Private equity is eying Asia’s healthcare funding gap as countries get wealthier and older
By Angelica AngMarch 29, 2026
10 hours ago
AIRobots
Amazon buys Fauna Robotics, maker of the Sprout humanoid robot that can dance, pick up toys, and go on a stroll
By The Associated PressMarch 29, 2026
10 hours ago
iran
Cybersecuritycyber
‘There are a lot more attacks happening that aren’t being reported’: Iran’s cyber response creeps across the globe
By David Klepper and The Associated PressMarch 29, 2026
15 hours ago
lanzone
AIYahoo
Yahoo CEO Jim Lanzone on ‘the white whale of turnarounds’ and turning to AI—licensed from Anthropic
By Michael Liedtke and The Associated PressMarch 29, 2026
15 hours ago
sony
PoliticsSony PlayStation
Sony raises PlayStation price another $100, second price hike in under a year
By Matt Ott and The Associated PressMarch 29, 2026
15 hours ago
big tech
EnvironmentData centers
Big tech was embracing clean energy and turning a corner on climate change. Then AI data centers arrived
By Tammy Webber and The Associated PressMarch 29, 2026
15 hours ago

Most Popular

Europe
413,793 KitKat bars stolen: 'Whilst we appreciate the criminals’ exceptional taste, the fact remains that cargo theft is an escalating issue'
By Fortune EditorsMarch 28, 2026
1 day ago
Energy
Saudi pipeline to bypass Hormuz hits 7 million barrel goal
By Fortune EditorsMarch 28, 2026
1 day ago
Energy
Elon Musk warns the U.S. could soon be producing more chips than we can turn on. And China doesn’t have the same issue
By Fortune EditorsMarch 29, 2026
17 hours ago
Energy
Russia was expecting a windfall from soaring oil prices, but relentless Ukrainian drone attacks are devastating nearly half its export capacity
By Fortune EditorsMarch 29, 2026
13 hours ago
Success
She left a Silicon Valley VC to solve a problem left untouched for 88 years. Now her bra brand is the fastest-growing at Nordstrom
By Fortune EditorsMarch 29, 2026
21 hours ago
Economy
U.S. debt suddenly draws weaker demand as $10 trillion must be rolled over this year amid Iran war. 'The bond market remains undefeated'
By Fortune EditorsMarch 28, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.