Apple’s Market Milestone: Challenging Samsung’s Smartphone Throne

Apple is positioning itself to reclaim the smartphone crown in a potential historic market shift. For the first time in over a decade, the technology behemoth is on track to surpass its long-standing rival, Samsung, in global shipment volumes. As Wall Street applauds the success of the latest iPhone generation, market participants are evaluating how much further the equity can advance from its current valuation.

The optimistic outlook is supported by Apple's solid fundamental performance. Institutional investors have recently increased their holdings significantly, reflecting strong belief in the company's margin stability. Key metrics from the latest quarterly report justify the current valuation:

• Earnings Beat: The company reported earnings per share (EPS) of $1.85, exceeding market expectations.
• Revenue Growth: Sales climbed 8.7% year-over-year to surpass $102 billion.
• Share Repurchases: During 2025 alone, Apple has bought back approximately $100 billion of its own stock, providing price support and artificially boosting earnings per share.

This confidence is evident in market performance, with shares currently trading at €240.20—hovering near the 52-week high and confirming the technical strength of the upward trend.

The iPhone 17 Supercycle Catalyst

Driving this resurgence is what market experts term the "supercycle" triggered by the iPhone 17 launch. The device is experiencing particularly robust demand in crucial markets including China and the United States, where year-over-year growth rates have reached double digits.

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Market researchers also note a structural tailwind: replacement cycles for devices purchased during the pandemic era are accelerating. This combination of technological innovation and necessary hardware upgrades for millions of users is generating reliable revenue streams for the Cupertino-based corporation.

Market Leadership Transition Underway

The primary driver behind the current market enthusiasm is a substantial redistribution of market share. Industry leader Samsung faces serious competition, with Apple positioned to potentially dethrone the South Korean company as the global smartphone shipment leader for the first time since 2011.

Data from Counterpoint Research powerfully supports this outlook. While Samsung is projected to achieve only 4.6% growth in 2025, iPhone shipments are expected to advance by a substantial 10%. This divergence indicates that Apple isn't merely gaining market share but actively displacing competitors in a challenging economic environment.

Market Outlook

Investor attention is now firmly fixed on the critical holiday quarter. If projected shipment numbers translate into concrete revenue figures, a push toward new record highs may be imminent. With the aggressive buyback program establishing a price floor and the iPhone upgrade cycle remaining intact, market conditions appear favorable for continued strength.