During Apple's February 02 Financial Conference Call, Apple's CEO Tim Cook stated that Apple "set all-time records in several countries and regions, including Latin America, Western Europe, the Middle East, and Korea. Today, analyst firm Canalys posted a report on the Middle East's Smartphone Market that surged 24% in Q4 2023.

Canalys notes that throughout 2023, total shipments reached 42.5 million units, indicating an 11% growth compared to 2022. Despite challenges stemming from reduced activity in the energy sector, due to ongoing restrictions in oil production, positive developments are evident in various non-energy sectors across the region. Particularly noteworthy is the strong rebound of travel and tourism in most GCC countries.

During Q4 2023, Saudi Arabia witnessed a significant 28% surge in smartphone shipments, with 3.6 million units driven by robust economic growth and a thriving tourism sector that attracted 27 million foreign visitors throughout the year, marking an increase of 11 million international tourists compared to 2022.

Major real estate and infrastructure developments namely Qiddiya, Neom, the Red Sea Project, and Diriyah Gate have attracted a substantial labor force, potentially increasing demand for entry-level smartphones. Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) experienced a remarkable 22% expansion during the same period, attributed to consumer engagement in end-of-season sales events including the Dubai Shopping Festival, and promotions such as Black Friday and Yellow Friday by online retailers Amazon and Noon, alongside the launch of new smartphone models by various vendors.

The Canalys chart below shows that Apple shipped 1.8 million iPhones in Q4 2023 vs. 1.5 million iPhones in Q4 2023. Apple annual growth was 16%. Canalys didn't provide a breakdown of iPhone models that sold well in the Middle East.

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In a second chart not shown for the full year 2023, Apple's annual growth was 13% shipping 5.6 million iPhone in 2023 vs. 5 million in 2022.

China's Transsion experienced 86% annual growth in Q4 surpassing Apple this year. Transsion is a bargain basement OEM with smartphones in the $50 to $250 price range. With that said, their high-end POVA 5 Pro, pictured below, offers a nice design and decent specifications. Prices like this could hurt traditional smartphone OEMs in markets like China and India.