Apple gains ground in China as smartphone market hits 14-year low
Counterpoint Research reports a 10% drop in quarterly shipments, yet Apple’s share rose to 19.5%, moving it to second place behind Huawei.
By Mei Lin ·
Apple captured 19.5% of China’s smartphone market in the third quarter of 2026, climbing from sixth to second place while the industry faced its weakest performance in 14 years. This increase of 4.8 percentage points from the same period last year occurred against a backdrop of a 10% overall decline in shipments, according to Counterpoint Research.
The contraction in the Chinese market was driven by rising memory prices that weighed on the broader industry. While most major manufacturers lost ground, only two brands managed to expand their share. Huawei retained the top spot with a 21.3% market share, an increase of 5.3 percentage points year over year. All other leading competitors saw their numbers fall.
Vivo experienced the sharpest drop among the major players, slipping 2.8 percentage points to a 15.2% share. OPPO declined by 1.3 points to reach 15.1%. Xiaomi lost 1.6 points to finish at 13.5%, while HONOR dropped 2.2 points to 12.7%. The remaining manufacturers combined lost 2 points, ending the quarter with a 2.8% share.
Counterpoint attributed Apple’s surge to the performance of the iPhone 18 Pro series. The firm noted that the lineup saw a strong launch in China, with sales in the first three weeks up 23.5% compared to the iPhone 17 Pro series. The research firm suggested that the delayed arrival of the base iPhone 18 model may have pushed consumers toward the Pro options, boosting early sales figures.
These figures differ slightly from a separate report released earlier this month by IDC. That analysis estimated a steeper 15.4% year over year decline in Chinese shipments and placed Apple’s share at 17.8%. IDC also reported that global smartphone shipments fell a record 22% during the quarter, with Apple posting the smallest decline among top manufacturers at 4%.
Counterpoint warned that market conditions may remain challenging ahead. Higher device prices are prompting consumers to delay upgrades, wait for promotional events, or purchase refurbished units. This shift in buying behavior could place additional strain on demand during the upcoming fourth quarter.
Source: 9to5Mac
