Huawei Tops China Smartphone Market as Apple Sees Return to Growth

Huawei has regained its position as the leading smartphone brand in China during the second quarter of 2025, while Apple marked a return to growth in one of its most crucial markets.

According to new data released by Canalys, Huawei shipped 12.2 million smartphones in China between April and June. This marks a 15% year-on-year increase, giving the company an 18% market share. It’s the first time Huawei has led the Chinese smartphone market since the first quarter of 2024.

Apple, ranked fifth during the same period, shipped 10.1 million smartphones, showing a 4% increase from the previous year. This is Apple’s first positive quarterly growth in China since Q4 2023.

Smartphone shipments refer to the number of units sent to retailers, providing insight into market demand rather than direct consumer sales.

The results come ahead of Apple’s quarterly earnings report this week. Analysts are paying close attention to China, where the company has faced stiff competition from Huawei and other domestic brands like Xiaomi.

Huawei began to recover in late 2023 after U.S. sanctions severely disrupted its smartphone business. Its strong comeback has cut into Apple’s market share.

However, Apple’s recent growth signals a strategic rebound. According to Canalys, Apple boosted demand in China by adjusting pricing for the iPhone 16 series. Discounts by local e-commerce platforms and higher trade-in values for older models also contributed to the rise.

These findings align with data from Counterpoint Research, which earlier this month also reported Apple’s return to growth in China.

Despite the growth, Apple’s stock is down approximately 14.5% this year, partly due to geopolitical tensions and investor concerns about its China performance.