Apple's iPhone shipments slid a bigger-than-projected 10 percent in the March quarter, reflecting flagging sales in China despite a broader smartphone industry rebound.
The company shipped 50.1 million iPhones in the first three months of the year, according to market tracker IDC, falling shy of the 51.7 million average analyst estimate compiled by Bloomberg.
The 9.6 percent year-on-year drop is the steepest for Apple since Covid-19 lockdowns snarled supply chains in 2022, IDC said.
Samsung Electronics regained the top spot in the first quarter, while budget-focused Transsion increased shipments by 85 percent and Xiaomi (1810) bounced back to close the gap on second-place Apple.
This came as Apple chief executive Tim Cook arrived in Hanoi yesterday beginning a two-day visit to Vietnam, a key manufacturing hub for the iPhone maker, during which he is expected to meet students and content creators, state media said.
Cook will also meet users of Apple products to better understand how the gadgets are utilized, online newspaper VietnamNet said.
Apple would boost its connection with local suppliers, clean water projects and education opportunities, it quoted Cook as saying on arrival.
