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.
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.
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.
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.
"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by Juli Clover
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...
Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie.
"Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by Joe Rossignol
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
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.
