The Huawei flagship retailer and the Apple flagship retailer at Nanjing Street Pedestrian Road in Shanghai, China, Sept. 2, 2024.
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Huawei reclaimed the highest spot in China’s smartphone market within the second quarter of the yr, whereas Apple returned to progress within the nation — one among its most crucial markets — knowledge launched by know-how market analyst agency Canalys confirmed on Monday.
Huawei shipped 12.2 million smartphones in China within the three months ended June, an increase of 15% yr on yr — equating to 18% market share. It is the primary time Huawei has been the largest participant by market share in China because the first quarter of 2024, in keeping with Canalys.
Apple, in the meantime, shipped 10.1 million smartphones within the quarter in China, up 4% yr on yr and rating fifth. It’s the first time Apple has recorded progress in China because the fourth quarter of 2023, Canalys mentioned.
Shipments symbolize the variety of units despatched to retailers. They do no equate on to gross sales however are a gauge of demand.
The numbers come forward of Apple’s quarterly earnings launch this week, with buyers watching the corporate’s efficiency in China, a market the place the Cupertino big has confronted vital challenges, together with intense competitors from Huawei and different native gamers corresponding to Xiaomi.
Huawei, which made a comeback on the finish of 2023 after its smartphone enterprise was crippled by U.S. sanctions, has eaten away at Apple’s share.
Apple’s return to progress in China might be a welcome signal for buyers. The U.S. tech big “strategically adjusted its pricing” for the iPhone 16 sequence in China, which helped it develop, Canalys mentioned. Chinese language e-commerce companies discounted Apple’s iPhone 16 fashions in the course of the quarter. And Apple itself additionally elevated trade-in costs for some iPhone fashions.
Canalys’ numbers again up figures launched by Counterpoint Analysis earlier this month exhibiting Apple’s return to progress in China.
Shares of Apple have fallen round 14.5% this yr, partly on issues over China and geopolitical headwinds.

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened Apple with tariffs and urged CEO Tim Cook dinner to manufacture iPhones in America, a transfer consultants have mentioned can be close to not possible.
In the meantime, competitors in China has intensified. Huawei has aggressively launched numerous smartphones up to now yr and has began to roll out HarmonyOS 5, its self-developed working system, throughout numerous units. It’s a rival to Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS.
“This transfer is predicted to speed up the growth of its impartial ecosystem’s consumer base, whereas additionally inserting larger calls for on system compatibility and consumer expertise,” Lucas Zhong, analyst at Canalys, mentioned in a press launch.