DOJ Grand Jury Investigates UAW President Shawn Fain Ahead of Union Election 
Muji Owner Ryohin Keikaku Stock Soars After Raising Full-Year Earnings Forecast 
Elon Musk Says Anthropic Leads AI Race as Claude Models Challenge OpenAI 
OpenAI Executive Fidji Simo to Step Down Amid Health Challenges Ahead of IPO 
Apple Sues OpenAI, Former Employees Over Alleged Trade Secret Theft 
Stripe, Advent Offer $53 Billion Deal to Acquire PayPal: Reuters 
Arm Stock Falls After HSBC Downgrade, Citing Limited Near-Term AI Upside 
Morgan Stanley Says China’s Reusable Rocket Progress Poses Long-Term Challenge to SpaceX 
Deutsche Bank Fined A$2 Million by ASIC Over OTC Derivatives Reporting Errors 
Australia Flags Child Safety Gaps at Apple, Meta, Google Over Online Sexual Extortion 
SK Hynix Soars 13% in Nasdaq Debut After Record $26.5 Billion IPO 
Samsung to Launch First Yongin Chip Plant by 2029 as South Korea Speeds Up Semiconductor Hub 
Samsung Chairman Lee Jae-yong Expected to Meet Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on AI and Chip Partnership 
OpenAI GPT-5.6 Set for Wider Release After U.S. Commerce Approval, Report Says 
ASML Raises 2026 Outlook as AI Chip Demand Lifts Q2 Earnings 
SK Hynix Shares Drop After Strong Nasdaq Debut Despite $26 Billion ADR Listing 
Chinese Chip Stocks Jump as Apple Reportedly Tests CXMT Memory Chips for China Devices 
Smartphone shipments for Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Samsung (KS:005930) declined in Q4 as competition from Chinese companies like Xiaomi (OTC:XIACF) intensified, according to preliminary data from IDC. Despite a rebound in the global smartphone market after two years of decline, Apple’s shipments fell 4.1% to 76.9 million units, and Samsung's dipped 2.7% to 51.7 million units.
Chinese smartphone makers, including Xiaomi, Oppo, and Honor, captured a record 56% of the global market in the quarter, driven by their success in low-end and mid-range devices. Xiaomi led the growth, with shipments surging 15.4% in 2024, while Apple and Samsung saw annual declines of 0.9% and 1.4%, respectively.
Apple held an 18.7% market share globally in 2024, slightly ahead of Samsung at 18%. Xiaomi followed with a 13.6% share, reflecting its aggressive expansion in Europe and Africa. The surge in Chinese brands highlights their ability to cater to emerging markets while leveraging strong domestic demand.
IDC noted decreased consumer interest in foldable smartphones, despite heavy promotions. As a result, manufacturers are reallocating research and design budgets away from foldables. "While growth in 2025 looks promising, uncertainty around potential U.S. tariffs adds risk," said IDC's Nabila Popal.
The global smartphone market continues to evolve, with Chinese companies gaining dominance and traditional leaders like Apple and Samsung facing mounting pressure.
