● Covered by 1 source · 4 reportsMedium impact
Apple Rises in China’s Shrinking Smartphone Market Amid Global Shipment Growth
Key points
- Apple captured 20% of the global smartphone market in Q2 2026.
- Sales in China during the 618 festival fell 13% year-over-year.
- Apple's market share in China rose to 18.1% in Q2 2026.
- iPhone 17 discounts improved Apple's position despite market decline.
- Huawei led China's smartphone market with a 22.6% share.
Apple's Global Market Performance
In the second quarter of 2026, Apple captured a significant 20% share of the global smartphone market. This was achieved in spite of a broader industry decline, maintaining Apple's reputation for resilience in challenging market conditions.
Compared to the same period last year, Apple's shipments grew 3% year-over-year globally, displaying a marked improvement in their performance in an otherwise shrinking smartphone market.
Apple's Position in China During 618 Festival
During China's 618 shopping festival, the smartphone market experienced a 13% year-over-year sales decline. Despite the downturn, Apple achieved a second-place standing in the Chinese market, largely driven by aggressive iPhone 17 discounts.
Apple offered significant savings on its iPhone 17 Pro series, mirroring promotion strategies from the previous year that helped them remain a top contender in the competitive Chinese market.
China's Market Insights
In China, Apple and Huawei were the only companies to show year-over-year growth in Q2 2026, in a market otherwise characterized by high memory costs and tapering consumer demand.
Apple’s market share in China rose to 18.1%, moving from fifth to second place, highlighting its strong performance amidst challenging conditions. Meanwhile, Huawei maintained its leadership with a 22.6% market share.
Industry Implications
The data underscores Apple's strategy of using targeted promotions and price stability to enhance its competitiveness in critical markets such as China, even during periods of market contraction.
These results are significant as they illustrate Apple's capability to navigate and thrive amidst economic pressures that negatively impacted many of its competitors.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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How outlets covered it
In Q2 2026, Apple's smartphone shipments in China rose 24.4%, elevating its market share to 18.1%. This marks a significant performance amidst an overall market decline, where only Apple and Huawei saw growth.
Apple achieved its best second quarter ever for iPhone shipments, capturing 20% market share. This performance occurs despite overall declining smartphone shipments, indicating potential resilience amid market challenges.
Apple's smartphone shipments grew by 3% year-over-year, capturing 20% of the global market in Q2 2026. This increase occurs despite an overall downturn in global smartphone shipments, highlighting Apple’s solid performance particularly with the iPhone 17 series.
Counterpoint Research reports a 13% year-over-year decline in smartphone sales during China’s 618 shopping period, with Apple achieving the No. 2 market position due to iPhone 17 discounts. Despite promotional success, Apple's sales decreased 9% year-over-year, reflecting broader market challenges caused by rising memory costs and weak consumer demand.