Apple Regains Top Spot in China's Smartphone Market

Apple reclaimed the starring presumption successful China's smartphone marketplace successful the 4th fourth of 2025 arsenic beardown request for the iPhone 17 lineup offset a contracting marketplace and increasing supply-chain unit from representation spot shortages.


New information from Counterpoint Research shows that smartphone shipments successful China declined 1.6% twelvemonth implicit twelvemonth successful the 4th fourth of 2025 and fell 0.6% for the afloat year, reflecting weaker user request driven chiefly by rising prices linked to escalating representation costs. Within that environment, Apple's show diverged sharply from the marketplace arsenic a whole. Counterpoint said Apple's shipments successful China roseate 28% twelvemonth implicit twelvemonth during the vacation quarter, allowing the institution to fertile archetypal successful the marketplace with a 22% stock successful the 4th quarter.

The betterment marks a notable reversal from earlier successful 2025, erstwhile Apple trailed home competitors successful China. According to Counterpoint, the alteration was driven by beardown request for the ‌iPhone 17‌ lineup, which accounted for astir 20% of Apple's shipments successful China during the quarter. The steadfast noted request was peculiarly concentrated among the Pro models. Counterpoint added that Apple benefited from an accelerated proviso ramp up precocious successful the year, enabling it to conscionable vacation request much efficaciously than immoderate rivals that were constrained by constituent availability.

The notable objection wrong Apple's lineup was the iPhone Air. Counterpoint said the exemplary captured lone a debased single-digit stock of Apple's China shipments pursuing its debut. This is attributed to a slower commencement owed to the device's aboriginal motorboat compared with different regions and to perceived trade-offs betwixt its ultra-thin plan and wide diagnostic set.

For the afloat year, Apple did not pb the Chinese market, but it narrowed the spread with home competitors. Counterpoint said Huawei ranked archetypal successful China for 2025 with a 16.4% marketplace share, followed intimately by Apple and vivo astatine astir 16% each. Xiaomi and Oppo trailed somewhat down astatine astir 15% each.

According to IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, planetary smartphone shipments reached 1.26 cardinal units successful 2025, up 1.9% twelvemonth implicit year. Globally, Apple remained the largest smartphone vendor successful 2025, shipping 247.8 cardinal iPhones for a 19.7% marketplace share. Apple's shipments grew 6.3% twelvemonth implicit year. Samsung ranked 2nd with 241.2 cardinal units shipped and a 19.1% share, portion Xiaomi placed 3rd with 165.3 cardinal units and a 13.1% share, contempt a year-over-year decline.
This article, "Apple Regains Top Spot successful China's Smartphone Market" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

Discuss this article successful our forums