Apple Surges to Second in China as Market Hits 14-Year Trough
Counterpoint data shows Apple capturing 19.5% of shipments while the overall Chinese smartphone market contracts by 10% in the third quarter of 2026.
By Elijah Fitzgerald ·
Apple has secured the second-largest share of the Chinese smartphone market amid a historic slump in industry-wide sales.
Counterpoint Research reported that smartphone shipments in China fell by 10% in the third quarter of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025. This decline marks the weakest performance for the market in 14 years. Rising memory prices contributed to the contraction across the sector. Despite this downturn, Apple increased its market share by 4.8 percentage points to reach 19.5% of total shipments.
The company moved from sixth place to second, trailing only Huawei. Huawei also expanded its position, raising its share by 5.3 percentage points to 21.3%. These two brands were the only major manufacturers to gain ground. All other leading competitors saw their market share decrease during the quarter.
Vivo lost 2.8 percentage points, ending the period with a 15.2% share. OPPO declined by 1.3 points to hold 15.1%. Xiaomi fell 1.6 points to 13.5%, and HONOR dropped 2.2 points to 12.7%. Smaller manufacturers combined lost 2 points, finishing at a 2.8% share of the market.
Counterpoint attributed Apple's performance to the strong launch of the iPhone 18 Pro series. Sales for the new models rose 23.5% in the first three weeks compared to the previous generation. The firm also noted that the delayed release of the base iPhone 18 may have shifted consumer preference toward the Pro models. This trend helped boost early sales figures for the premium lineup.
These figures differ from a report released by IDC earlier in the month. IDC estimated that China's shipments dropped 15.4% in the third quarter. The firm calculated Apple's share at 17.8%, noting that iPhone shipments specifically fell by 4.3%. IDC also identified a record 22% drop in global smartphone sales for the quarter, with Apple posting the smallest decline among the top five manufacturers at 4%.
Counterpoint warned that challenging conditions may persist into the fourth quarter. Higher device prices are causing consumers to delay upgrades or opt for refurbished units. This shift in buying behavior is expected to place additional strain on demand.
