Apple Overtakes Rivals in China as Market Hits 14-Year Low

Apple secured the second largest share of China's smartphone market in the third quarter of 2026, rising from sixth place the previous year. The company captured 19.5% of shipments during the period, according to a report released by Counterpoint Research on Wednesday. This 4.8 percentage point increase made Apple the only major brand, alongside Huawei, to expand its footprint while the wider market contracted.

The national market experienced its weakest performance in 14 years. Counterpoint recorded a 10% year over year drop in total smartphone shipments for the quarter. Rising memory prices continued to pressure manufacturers, contributing to the industry wide decline. The research firm noted that consumer hesitation is growing as device costs climb.

Huawei remained the market leader with a 21.3% share, up 5.3 percentage points from a year earlier. It was the only other top six brand to see growth. The remaining major manufacturers all lost ground. Vivo declined 2.8 percentage points to 15.2%, and OPPO fell 1.3 points to 15.1%. Xiaomi dropped 1.6 points to 13.5%, while HONOR slid 2.2 points to 12.7%.

Counterpoint attributed Apple's surge largely to the iPhone 18 Pro series. The firm stated that the lineup saw a strong launch in China. Sales in the first three weeks were 23.5% higher than sales for the iPhone 17 Pro series during the same period. The report suggested that the delayed release of the base iPhone 18 may have pushed some buyers toward the more expensive Pro models early in the cycle.

IDC published a separate analysis of the same period a few days prior. Its figures differed from Counterpoint's estimates. IDC calculated a 15.4% year over year decline in China's smartphone shipments. It estimated Apple's share at 17.8%, even as specific iPhone unit sales fell by 4.3%. The divergence highlights varying methodologies in tracking the fragmented market.

Global trends also showed weakness. IDC estimated that worldwide smartphone shipments fell a record 22% year over year in the third quarter. Apple posted the smallest decline among the top five global manufacturers, with a drop of just 4%. This resilience contrasts with the steeper losses reported by other competitors in international markets.

Counterpoint warned that market conditions may remain challenging through the fourth quarter. Higher prices are causing consumers to delay upgrades or wait for promotional discounts. Some buyers are opting for refurbished devices instead of new hardware. These factors could apply additional pressure to demand in the coming months.

Other manufacturers combined lost 2 percentage points in the Chinese market, ending the quarter with a 2.8% share. The concentration of growth in two brands leaves little room for mid tier competitors to recover market position in the near term. The data reflects a shift in purchasing behavior toward premium or established domestic options.