On the same day, data released by TechInsights showed that Apple's iPhone sales in China surpassed the United States for the first time in the second quarter of 2023, becoming the largest single market for iPhone shipments. Costfoto | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesGlobal smartphone shipments this year are on track to be the worst in a decade, Counterpoint Research said in a report on Thursday, as the market is dragged down by the U.S. and China. However, Apple could become the biggest player in smartphones this year by shipments, as its high-end iPhone sales remain resilient, the report added. Measuring expected demand, shipments are not equivalent to sales and represent the number of devices that smartphones vendors send to retailers. Counterpoint Research said it expects smartphone shipments in 2023 to decline 6% year-on year to 1.15 billion devices.

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Persons: TechInsights, Karn Chauhan Organizations: Apple, Nurphoto, Getty, Research, U.S, Counterpoint Research, CNBC Locations: Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, China, United States, Asia, America