Despite a sharp regional decline in smartphone shipments, Apple continues to increase its share in the Middle East market, contrasting with the global downturn driven by supply constraints and geopolitical factors.
Apple is drawing attention in a Middle East smartphone market that contracted sharply in the second quarter, according to Omdia. The research firm said regional shipments fell 19% year on year to 10.6 million units, the steepest quarterly decline since the final quarter of 2025. Rising handset prices, supply constraints and geopolitical uncertainty all weighed on demand, pushing manufacturers to place greater emphasis on value and profitability rather than volume.
The downturn in the Middle East mirrors a broader slowdown in the global phone market. Omdia said worldwide shipments fell 4% in the second quarter of 2026 because of a persistent RAM shortage, while other industry reports pointed to an even steeper global decline and the weakest quarterly level in more than a decade. In that environment, Samsung held the No 1 position globally and in the Middle East, while Apple continued to gain share in some markets despite the softer backdrop.
In the Middle East, Samsung accounted for 39% of shipments, according to Omdia, while Apple remained in fifth place even after a modest increase in unit volumes. Brands including Xiaomi and Transsion saw sharper declines, underlining how the regional market has become more selective as retailers manage inventories more cautiously and consumers respond to higher prices.
The Gulf-focused report also looked beyond shipments to Apple’s shares. GuruFocus said Apple was trading at $302.25, about 6.8% above its GF Value estimate of $283.08, and assigned the company a GF Score of 96 out of 100. It also noted that insiders sold $15.6 million of stock over the past three months, even as 39 gurus held the shares and 18 added positions. For investors, that mix suggests a business with strong profitability and growth, but a valuation that already reflects a great deal of optimism.
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