The smartphone market in China during 2026 delivered an unexpected surprise for industry analysts.
Although the major local giants maintain a solid grip on overall sales volumes, the single smartphone that topped the charts does not belong to an Asian company.
Apple has in fact recorded a significant rebound in sales, surpassing rival companies and placing its iPhone 17 Pro Max at the top, successfully navigating in a highly complex economic context marked by a severe crisis related to hardware components.
Apple dominates in China, the brand’s allure beats exaggerated features
According to data released by the research company Counterpoint, during the second quarter of 2026 the iPhone 17 Pro Max established itself as the most purchased device on Chinese soil, capturing 6% of the market. Apple’s success is further strengthened by the base version of the iPhone 17, which follows closely with a 5% share.
Only in third place is the Huawei Enjoy 90 Pro Max with 4%, tied with the iPhone 17 Pro, while the Huawei Mate 80 stops at 2%.
This highlights how the historical prestige associated with the Californian brand can exert a stronger pull on consumers than the extreme technologies offered by local brands.
Chinese buyers have shown remarkable appreciation for the entire line, focusing in particular on the Cosmic Orange color of the Pro models.
Experts’ attention is now turning to how the market will react to the imminent arrival of the first foldable iPhone and the ability of the iPhone 18 Pro to surpass these sales.
Overall shares and global volumes
Although Apple may boast the primacy of the single most popular model, the analysis of total shipments tells a different story. Huawei remains, in absolute terms, the dominant brand within the country.
Between the last quarter of 2025 and the second quarter of 2026, the Chinese company saw its market share grow from 14% to 23%. Conversely, Apple’s market share, while selling a very high number of single devices, fell from 22% to 18% in the same period.
Looking globally, in the second quarter of 2026 Samsung continues to lead the sector with 24%, followed by Apple at 20%.
The component shortage and production cuts
Beyond the battle for market shares, the industry must contend with a formidable obstacle: a severe memory shortage, nicknamed with the apocalyptic name RAMageddon.
The sharp rise in processor prices and the lack of stock, caused by the insistent demand from AI data centers, are forcing manufacturers to drastically revise their strategic plans. As reported by Nikkei Asia, companies such as Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo have had to cut shipment forecasts by up to 30%.
Xiaomi now estimates distributing only 90 million smartphones, a figure well below the 135 million forecast at the start of the year and the 170 million recorded in 2025. Oppo and Vivo have also aligned with this 90 million threshold, while Honor expects volumes below 71 million from the previous year.
Although some Chinese factories are attempting to increase RAM production, the costs of these components have reached exorbitant figures, and it will take years before supply adequately saturates the market.
