Apple Jumps to Second in China as Smartphone Shipments Hit 14-Year Low

Apple moved from sixth to second place in China's smartphone market in the third quarter of 2026, even as overall shipments dropped to their lowest level in 14 years, according to a new Counterpoint Research report. Total shipments in China fell 10% year over year.

Apple took a 19.5% share of shipments, up 4.8 percentage points from a year earlier. Only Huawei ranked higher, with 21.3%, a gain of 5.3 points. These were the only two of the top six brands to grow their share. Vivo slipped 2.8 points to 15.2%, OPPO fell 1.3 points to 15.1%, Xiaomi lost 1.6 points to 13.5% and HONOR dropped 2.2 points to 12.7%. Other manufacturers collectively fell 2 points to 2.8%.

Pro models drive the gain

Counterpoint credits part of Apple's rise to a strong launch of the iPhone 18 Pro series in China. Sales over the first three weeks were up 23.5% compared with the iPhone 17 Pro series. The firm suggests the delayed launch of the base iPhone 18 may have pushed some buyers to trade up to the Pro models, boosting early momentum.

The numbers differ from those published a few days earlier by IDC. That firm put the decline in China at 15.4% for Q3 2026, with Apple's share at 17.8% despite a 4.3% drop in iPhone shipments. IDC also estimated that global smartphone shipments fell a record 22% year over year, with Apple posting the smallest decline among the top five makers at 4%.

Pressure continues

Rising memory prices continue to weigh on the market. Counterpoint notes that higher smartphone prices are leading consumers to delay upgrades, wait for promotional periods or choose refurbished devices. That could add pressure to demand in the fourth quarter.

The two reports differ on exact figures but agree on the direction: a shrinking market in which Apple is holding up better than most rivals.