Apple and, to a lesser extent, Samsung Electronics Co., are the notable exceptions. In 2022, worldwide smartphone shipments fell by double digits, most severely in China, and those profits dwindled for the majority of companies. Apple and Samsung were the only big brands to register revenue growth, of just 1% each, according to Counterpoint, after both sold a higher proportion of premium devices like Apple's iPhone 14 Pro series. The company's profit lead on peers would have been even greater if it had been able to ship more of its top-tier devices in the final quarter of the year, the research firm said. Apple's 2022 performance comes despite its worst holiday performance in four years, after supply snags and a softening economy hurt iPhone revenue. The iPhone and Mac were particular weak spots for Apple last quarter, dragged down by a broader slump afflicting mobile devices and computers.