Editing Apple Inc. (section)

=== Challenges and Market Headwinds   ===
Despite its successes, Apple faced significant challenges in 2015. The smartphone market, its primary revenue driver, showed signs of saturation, with iPhone sales growing by a mere 0.4% year-on-year—the weakest growth since its 2007 debut <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-35412892.amp |quote=Apple reported the slowest growth in iPhone sales since the product's 2007 launch in 2015. }}</ref>. Economic headwinds, including global downturns and currency fluctuations, further compounded these issues <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/2021/08/smartphone-growth-peak-5g-apple-samsung-iphone-tech/ |quote=Market saturation and a slowdown in innovation have led to declining smartphone sales for the past few years. }}</ref>.  

Competitive pressures were intense, with Samsung maintaining a 21% market share in Q2 2015 <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thecasecentre.org/products/view?id=131668 |quote=In Q2 2015, Samsung's market share was highest at 21%, but its margins were way below Apple's. }}</ref>. Regulatory scrutiny also posed challenges, as Apple navigated accusations of privacy violations and complex new legislation in the US and EU <ref>{{cite web |url=https://standrewseconomist.com/2024/04/16/apples-regulatory-issues-and-the-implications/ |quote=Apple Inc. faced regulatory issues in the US and EU, including accusations of mistrust and privacy violations in 2015. }}</ref>. The FBI’s high-profile request to access encrypted data on an iPhone used in the San Bernardino attack highlighted the tension between privacy and security, drawing global attention <ref>{{cite web |url=https://standrewseconomist.com/2024/04/16/apples-regulatory-issues-and-the-implications/ |quote=Apple Inc. faced regulatory issues in the US and EU, including accusations of mistrust and privacy violations in 2015. }}</ref>.  

To counter these challenges, Apple began diversifying its supply chain, exploring manufacturing opportunities in Vietnam and India to reduce disruptions and align with industry trends <ref>{{cite web |url=https://scw-mag.com/news/how-apple-handles-its-china-dependent-supply-chain-amid-global-tensions/ |quote=Apple has worked to diversify its supply chain by exploring manufacturing opportunities in India and Vietnam. }}</ref>.