New data from Counterpoint Research says China’s smartphone shipments declined 1.6% year-over-year (YoY) in quarter four (Q4) of 2025 and 0.6% YoY for the full year, primarily due to weak demand caused by rising prices resulting from memory shortages.
In Q4, Apple’s shipments rose 28% YoY and led the Chinese smartphone market, driven by strong traction for the iPhone 17 series, according to the research group. For full-year shipments, China-based Huawei ranked first on strong performance in the first half of the year, supported by solid mid-to-high-end performance after price adjustments and government subsidies.
Counterpoint says Apple saw strong sales of its iPhone Pro 17 series, with its distinctive new camera design, and the base variants, with double the storage of last year’s equivalent but at the same price. Sales for the iPhone Air, which saw a delayed launch, came in at a low single-digit share.
“The late launch and trade-offs between thinness and the feature set resulted in a slow start for the iPhone Air,” said Counterpoint Senior Analyst Ivan Lam. “But it’s a significant product, not only as an exploration into ultra-thin design, but also when considering the longer-term structural implications for the domestic market for eSIM smartphones.”
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