China smartphones fall in Q2 | Huawei +24% to 5-year high, Apple +23% as market shrinks
TL;DR
Counterpoint Research puts China smartphone Q2 2026 shipments down 2% YoY; IDC pegs the drop at 4.3%, the fifth straight quarterly decline. Huawei's share rose to 23% (22.6% per IDC) with shipments up 24% YoY; Apple grew 23% and lifted share from 15% to 18%.
Preliminary data from Counterpoint Research shows China smartphone shipments fell 2% YoY in Q2 2026 as rising storage costs and softer demand pushed vendors to prioritize profit over volume. IDC's read is steeper — a 4.3% drop to about 66 million units, the fifth straight quarterly decline.
Huawei took 23% quarterly share, the highest since Q4 2020, with shipments up 24% YoY. Apple grew shipments 23% and moved from 15% share to 18% (IDC's numbers are 22.6% and 18.1% respectively). The two staged "double-digit growth against an overall contraction" together.
The variables behind the swing are the recovery in Kirin chip supply and Apple's pricing strategy for the iPhone 17 line in China. What's left of vivo, OPPO, Xiaomi and Honor is caught between midrange volume plays and margin defense, and losing on both. IDC warns the second half will be tougher — the shape of the fight changes; the fight doesn't stop.
via IDC / Counterpoint
Huawei took 23% quarterly share, the highest since Q4 2020, with shipments up 24% YoY. Apple grew shipments 23% and moved from 15% share to 18% (IDC's numbers are 22.6% and 18.1% respectively). The two staged "double-digit growth against an overall contraction" together.
The variables behind the swing are the recovery in Kirin chip supply and Apple's pricing strategy for the iPhone 17 line in China. What's left of vivo, OPPO, Xiaomi and Honor is caught between midrange volume plays and margin defense, and losing on both. IDC warns the second half will be tougher — the shape of the fight changes; the fight doesn't stop.
via IDC / Counterpoint
