Here are your Apple rumors and AAPL news items for Monday:

Apple Gaining in Smartphone Market: The iPhone remained the top-selling U.S. smartphone over the course of February, according to Barron’s. Apple‘s (NASDAQ:AAPL) smartphone experienced a swift gain in sales this past month and picked up market share after a comparatively sluggish January. Despite solely producing a smartphone line, AAPL is projected to occupy 8.6% of the overall global handset market this quarter. The iPhone likely will move a total 32.6 million units for a 23.7% share of the global smartphone market, gaining swiftly on competitor Samsung‘s (PINK:SSNLF) projected 24.3% share at 33.5 million units. However, Google‘s (NASDAG:GOOG) Android remains the dominant smartphone operating system on the global market in spite of lagging behind iPhone in domestic sales — currently occupying a staunch 52.7% share.

Apple to Ship 65 Million iPads in 2012: According to Apple Insider, total iPad shipments are expected to rise by 20 million units over the course of 2012. Anticipated demand for the upcoming iPad 3 has set shipment figures at an unprecedented 40 million units. However, with recent cuts to the price of the iPad 2, shipments of Apple’s second-generation tablet will maintain a projected 25 million units as well — a figure possibly bolstered by ongoing rumors around the development of new iPad models.

App Store Reaches 25 Billion Downloads: The Los Angeles Times reports that Apple’s tablet and smartphone app store  just sold its 25 billionth download. Apple only recently passed its 15 billionth download in July, and has managed to sell a full 10 billion apps in the subsequent eight months; primary smartphone competitor Google recently passed the 10 billionth app sale for its Android smartphone in December.

Adam Patterson is Assistant Editor of InvestorPlace. As of this writing, he did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. For more from the company, check out our previous Apple Rumors stories.