Apple Inc. 
AAPL reclaimed the leading spot in China’s smartphone market after iPhone shipments climbed about 28% during the holiday quarter.
The surge came despite an overall decline in the Chinese smartphone market, which fell roughly 1.6% in the same period. Counterpoint Research noted that Apple’s latest models made up around one in five phones shipped in China.
Competitors Huawei Technologies and Xiaomi both experienced double-digit declines, suggesting strong consumer preference for premium devices. Analysts said high-end phones like the iPhone are less affected by ongoing memory chip shortages that have pressured lower-end models.
For the full year, Apple finished just behind Huawei, with both holding roughly 17% of the market. While the recently launched iPhone Air underperformed, steady demand for core iPhone models helped lift overall shipments by 7.5% in 2025.
Industry watchers expect rising memory prices in early 2026 may continue favoring brands focused on high-end devices such as Apple AAPL.
