Tech giant Apple (AAPL) is experiencing one of its most volatile periods since the 2008 financial crisis, with shares swinging more than 4% daily for five straight trading sessions. This comes as the broader tech sector reacts to ongoing tariff developments. Despite a 35% drop in Apple’s stock over the past four months, the company has rebounded sharply by rising over 23% in just under a week by Monday afternoon.
Interestingly, amid the volatility, Apple’s iPhone led the global smartphone market in Q1 2025 for the first time in a first quarter as it captured a 19% market share, according to Counterpoint Research. Even though sales in the U.S., Europe, and China were flat or down, Apple posted double-digit growth in Japan, India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East and Africa. In addition, iPhone shipments rose 4% year-over-year during the quarter, which demonstrates that the brand remains strong in emerging markets.
Globally, overall smartphone shipments grew by 3% year-over-year in Q1 due to rising demand in developing regions. While Samsung came in second with an 18% share, it saw a 5% year-over-year decline due to a delayed product launch, though March sales picked up. Xiaomi ranked third with 14%, while vivo and OPPO completed the top five. However, thanks to growing economic pressures and instability in developed markets, analysts now expect overall smartphone volumes to slightly decline for the full year despite the strong start.
Is Apple a Buy or Sell Right Now?
Overall, analysts have a Moderate Buy consensus rating on AAPL stock based on 17 Buys, 13 Holds, and four Sells assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. Furthermore, the average AAPL price target of $242.61 per share implies 27.4% upside potential.
