In the first quarter of 2026, China’s smartphone market experienced a 4% decline in shipments compared to the previous year. Despite this downturn, Apple emerged as the fastest-growing brand among the top six, with a 20% increase in shipments. This growth was fueled by strong demand for the iPhone 17 series, promotional price reductions, and government subsidies. Apple’s strategic supply chain management and premium product offerings have positioned it well to handle the global memory shortage, allowing the company to maintain competitive pricing while expanding its market share.
Huawei maintained its lead with a 20% market share, benefiting from strong domestic supplier ties that helped mitigate rising memory costs. OPPO secured third place, bolstered by the reintegration of realme and a significant rise in OnePlus sales. However, OPPO’s price hikes on older models have dampened demand. Meanwhile, vivo saw modest growth, and Xiaomi faced a significant decline due to underperforming core models.
The industry as a whole faces challenges from shrinking shipments and reduced margins, with an anticipated 9% decline in China’s smartphone shipments for the year. In contrast, Apple is expected to leverage the cost pressures to its advantage, absorbing memory price increases internally and gaining market share as competitors struggle with rising prices.
