Apple faces major challenges in China as iPhone shipments fell 9 percent during the first quarter compared to last year. The tech giant shipped just 9.8 million units, dropping its market share from 17.4 percent to 13.4 percent. This marks seven straight quarters of decline for Apple in this important region.
Chinese brands like Xiaomi and Huawei continue to gain ground against Apple. Xiaomi leads the pack with 13.3 million shipments, growing 40 percent year over year. Huawei took second place with 12.9 million units despite breaking away from Android. Oppo and Vivo rounded out the top four with 11.2 and 10.3 million shipments, respectively.
The overall Chinese smartphone market grew 3.3 percent, showing strong consumer demand. New government subsidies helped boost sales, offering 15 percent refunds on electronics under $820. Many Apple phones exceed this price limit at 5,999 yuan for the iPhone 16 lineup. Chinese consumers appear to prefer brands that offer fresh designs and features each year instead of the minor updates Apple typically provides.
Chinese brands like Xiaomi and Huawei continue to gain ground against Apple. Xiaomi leads the pack with 13.3 million shipments, growing 40 percent year over year. Huawei took second place with 12.9 million units despite breaking away from Android. Oppo and Vivo rounded out the top four with 11.2 and 10.3 million shipments, respectively.
The overall Chinese smartphone market grew 3.3 percent, showing strong consumer demand. New government subsidies helped boost sales, offering 15 percent refunds on electronics under $820. Many Apple phones exceed this price limit at 5,999 yuan for the iPhone 16 lineup. Chinese consumers appear to prefer brands that offer fresh designs and features each year instead of the minor updates Apple typically provides.
