Huawei gains market share as China smartphone shipments fall

China's smartphone shipments fell 15.4% year-on-year to 57.9 million units in the third quarter of 2026, according to preliminary IDC data. Amidst a broad market downturn, Huawei emerged as the sole major vendor to achieve double-digit annual growth. The company shipped 12.2 million phones, securing approximately 21% of the market and ascending to the leading position. This growth contrasts sharply with other major players. Apple ranked second with a 17.8% share, though its shipments saw a 4.3% decrease. OPPO, vivo, and Xiaomi experienced more significant declines, with shipments falling by 17.6%, 24.9%, and 20.4%, respectively. Honor was the only leading brand to increase shipments quarter-on-quarter. IDC attributed the overall market slowdown to rising memory and component costs, which inflated retail prices and extended device replacement cycles. Huawei's success was bolstered by its diverse product lineup and relatively modest price adjustments. While Apple's new models performed well, a reduced number of offerings impacted its total shipment volume.