Apple Gains Ground in China Despite Record Low Sales

Apple moved up to the second position in the Chinese smartphone market during the third quarter of 2026, according to a new analysis by Counterpoint Research. This rise occurred even as the overall industry faced its weakest period in fourteen years. The company captured 19.5% of total shipments in the region, marking a significant increase from its performance a year earlier. Huawei remained the only brand ahead of Apple in this specific market share ranking.

The broader market environment was challenging for most manufacturers. Counterpoint reported that total smartphone shipments in China dropped by 10% compared to the same period last year. Rising costs for memory components have placed sustained pressure on the industry, contributing to the overall decline in unit sales. Despite this downturn, Apple was one of the few major players to see its market presence grow rather than shrink.

Looking back at the trajectory of the past year, the shift in market dynamics became apparent as new devices launched. Apple jumped from sixth place to second, a substantial climb in the competitive hierarchy. Huawei also saw gains, holding a 21.3% share, which was a 5.3 percentage point increase year over year. These two companies were the only ones among the top six brands to expand their slice of the pie, while all others suffered losses in their respective shares.

The decline was widespread among the other leading manufacturers. Vivo experienced a drop of 2.8 percentage points, ending the quarter with a 15.2% share. OPPO followed closely behind with 15.1%, down 1.3 points from the previous year. Xiaomi fell 1.6 points to reach 13.5%, while HONOR declined by 2.2 points to 12.7%. The remaining smaller manufacturers collectively lost two percentage points, finishing the quarter with a combined 2.8% share of the market.

Counterpoint attributed Apple's success largely to the reception of the iPhone 18 Pro series. The firm noted that the lineup saw a strong launch in the region. Sales for the first three weeks of the new models were up 23.5% year over year when compared to the iPhone 17 Pro series. The analyst suggested that the delayed arrival of the standard base model iPhone 18 may have encouraged some consumers to opt for the higher end Pro versions instead, thereby boosting early sales figures.

These findings align with other recent data, though the specific numbers vary between research firms. A report from IDC released a few days prior to the Counterpoint study offered a slightly different perspective. IDC estimated that smartphone shipments in China fell by 15.4% year over year during the third quarter. In that report, Apple's share of the total market rose to 17.8%, even though the absolute number of iPhones shipped declined by 4.3%.

IDC also highlighted a concerning trend on the global stage. The firm estimated that worldwide smartphone shipments fell by a record 22% year over year in the quarter. Among the top five manufacturers globally, Apple posted the smallest decline at just 4%. This relative resilience stands out against the broader backdrop of shrinking global demand for new mobile devices.

Looking ahead to the coming months, Counterpoint warned that market conditions could remain difficult. Higher prices for smartphones are prompting consumers to delay their upgrades. Many are choosing to wait for promotional periods or are turning to refurbished devices as an alternative. This shift in consumer behavior is expected to add further pressure on demand, particularly as the market enters the fourth quarter of 2026.