10:44 AM EDT, 05/29/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Apple ( AAPL ) is forecast to see a 1.9% decline in smartphone shipments in 2025 amid competition from Huawei, overall economic slowdown, and exclusion of most iPhone models from China's subsidy programs, International Data Corporation said Thursday.

The company may benefit from heavy discounts during China's 618 shopping festival and the anticipated launch of iPhone 17, which is expected to include major hardware upgrades, the research firm said.

IDC lowered its 2025 global smartphone shipments growth forecast to 0.6% from 2.3%, citing weak consumer spending, economic uncertainty, and tariff volatility.

US and China are expected to drive growth this year despite the trade tensions, with China forecast to grow 3% on government support for Android brands and the US market projected to grow 1.9% aided by carrier-driven financing and trade-in deals, IDC said.

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