Apple claimed record-breaking business performance in its earnings call for Q4 2021. Recent reports from market analyst firm Counterpoint Research corroborate that Apple had an exceptional year in 2021—the first year since 2017 when the smartphone market grew. The company posted record-setting shipments. Apple also enjoyed a whopping 25 percent growth in the European smartphone market, far higher than all brands’ overall 8 percent rise.

Starting with the global market, the report notes that 1.39 billion smartphones were shipped in 2021, but the number is lower than pre-pandemic levels. The lull can be attributed to the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the global chip shortage. The firm’s senior analyst Harmeet Singh Walia notes that the smartphone market’s growth in the US was primarily driven by demand for Apple’s 5G-enabled iPhone 12 series in the first quarter of the year. The demand continued with Black Friday and holiday season promotional discounts through the fourth quarter. In Q4, it also overtook Samsung as the top smartphone brand globally.

Apple’s global iPhone sales grew 18 percent YoY and touched 237.9 million units, primarily due to the iPhone 12 series sales. The company’s presence grew in critical markets such as the US, China, and Europe. Speaking of performance in Europe, Counterpoint Research’s detailed report about the region’s smartphone market shows that Apple had a 34 percent market share at the beginning of the year. After the iPhone 13 launched in October, Samsung was dethroned in the region as Apple rose to the top spot in terms of sale volume in November. The company’s market share in December was also the highest it has ever been in Europe.

The Cupertino giant’s performance is stellar, considering the European market grew by 8 percent in 2021 but recorded a 14 percent drop in the number of units shipped compared to 2020. Meanwhile, Huawei saw the worst of it, and its sales dropped by close to 90 percent in Europe in 2021. Apple’s strong performance in European markets after the iPhone 13 launch is a testament to the phone’s popularity and success. What do you think? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.