iPhone Shipments to Gulf Countries Saw Double-Digit Growth in Q4 2020

In the fourth quarter of 2020, Apple saw its iPhone shipments in Gulf countries increase by 55% compared to the quarter prior, thanks to the launch of the 5G enabled ‌iPhone‌ 12 and last year's ‌iPhone‌ 11 lineup, according to market research by IDC.

iphone 12 pro max
In total, the region saw smartphone shipments grow by 2.3% in the last quarter of the year compared to Q3, to a total of 2.26 million units. Specifically, Saudi Arabia represented nearly half of all smartphones shipped in the region for Q4. However, it witnessed an overall decline in shipments compared to the previous quarter. The UAE represented 26.1% of smartphone shipments for the region in the quarter and saw overall growth compared to Q3.

Quarter-on-quarter, Apple saw a significant increase of 55% in ‌‌iPhone‌‌ shipments, growth that was primarily enabled by the ‌‌iPhone‌ 12‌ and last year's ‌‌iPhone‌ 11‌ lineup. Akash Balachandran, IDC's senior research analyst, says that if it were not for shortages amongst Apple's supply chain, ‌iPhone‌ shipments would have been more prominent in the quarter.

prMETA47561821 F 1
Apple still, however, rests behind Samsung as the leading smartphone maker in the region. Samsung holds 42% of the market share for the GCC, 3% less than it did the previous quarter. Apple saw its market share increase by 7% to 23% in the final quarter of the year.

Tag: IDC

Top Rated Comments

miric Avatar
33 months ago
All of them are in gold finish I suppose.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bebarhood Avatar
33 months ago
I live in Saudi Arabia, and trust me when I say, the digital transformation over here is remarkable. The country is pushing for digital platforms very aggressively. Their 5G implementation and coverage is moving fast.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SpiritSoul1008 Avatar
33 months ago
Boaty McBoatFace getting stuck there isn't helping Apple's numbers.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
betterbegood Avatar
33 months ago
They got more money per capita than basically anywhere else in the world so not that surprising. Good on them.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JoshuaBru Avatar
33 months ago
So that’s what’s in all those containers blocking the Suez Canal
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
I7guy Avatar
33 months ago

Thanks for the Data !

I had never seen a breakdown for this region before, thanks !
Just be wary. These are official "estimates" from a third party source.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.0.2 and iPadOS 17.0.2 for All iPhones and iPads

Tuesday September 26, 2023 12:47 pm PDT by
Apple today released iOS 17.0.2 and iPadOS 17.0.2 updates, with the software coming five days after the releases of iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1. Today's iOS 17.0.2 and iPadOS 17.0.2 updates arrive as build 21A351 and can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Note that iOS 17.0.2 was previously made available for iPhone...
Apple WWDC23 macOS Sonoma hero

macOS Sonoma Launching This Week With These New Features

Sunday September 24, 2023 12:45 pm PDT by
Apple previously announced that macOS Sonoma will be released this Tuesday, September 26. The free software update includes many new features and changes for the Mac, including the five that we have highlighted below. In addition to these five features, we have shared the full release notes for macOS Sonoma below for a complete overview of everything new. Desktop Widgets macOS Sonoma...
iPhone 15 Pro Lineup Feature

Kuo: iPhone 15 Pro Overheating Issues Likely Due to Thermal Compromises, Not 3nm Node

Tuesday September 26, 2023 9:12 am PDT by
Complaints about heat issues with the iPhone 15 Pro models are not related to TSMC's 3-nanometer node that was used for the A17 Pro chip, according to well-respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo says that overheating could be caused by "compromises made in the thermal system design" that allowed Apple to cut down on the weight of the iPhone 15 Pro models. Kuo says that the reduced heat...
iPhone 16 Side Feature

iPhone 16 to Include an Additional Capacitive 'Capture' Button

Monday September 25, 2023 12:50 pm PDT by
The iPhone 16 series is expected to gain an additional capacitive button, known internally as the "Capture Button." Codenamed "Project Nova," the button is likely to be one of the main selling points of the iPhone 16 lineup, assuming it gets past the initial testing phase. The Capture Button is located on the same side as the Power button, only positioned slightly lower - where the mmWave cutout...
ipad mini blue

Apple to Launch iPad Mini 7 Later This Year, Industry Report Suggests

Monday September 25, 2023 3:16 am PDT by
Apple could be preparing to release a seventh-generation iPad mini before the end of the year, based on a new report by DigiTimes. In an article discussing stagnating global tablet demand in the second half of 2023, the Taiwan-based outlet forecasts an uptick in Apple's share of the market owing to orders for a "small-size" iPad in the fourth quarter. From the report (see bold): In the...
macos sonoma 4

Apple Releases macOS Sonoma With New Widget Features, Safari Updates, Screen Sharing Improvements and More

Tuesday September 26, 2023 10:01 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS 14 Sonoma, the newest version of the operating system that runs on the Mac. macOS Sonoma has been in beta testing for several months, and it is compatible with the 2019 and later iMac, the iMac Pro, the 2018 and later Mac mini, the 2018 and later MacBook Pro, the 2019 and later Mac Pro, and the Mac Studio. The ‌macOS Sonoma update can be downloaded for free on...