iPhone 18 Pro sales in China rose 23.5% year on year in their first three weeks, according to Counterpoint Research. The overall market went the other way. China’s smartphone shipments fell 10% in Q3 2026, the weakest third quarter since 2012.
Counterpoint blames memory price hikes. Rising memory costs pushed phone prices up, and many buyers put off upgrading. That is the same pressure behind this year’s price rises elsewhere.
iPhone 18 Pro bucks China’s smartphone slump
Apple took 19.5% of shipments in the quarter, up from 14.7% a year earlier. The 23.5% gain compares the iPhone 18 Pro series’ first three weeks with the iPhone 17 Pro series over the same period.
Counterpoint suggests the delayed base iPhone 18 may have pushed some buyers up to the Pro models. Counterpoint’s figures are preliminary estimates, not numbers Apple reported.
Huawei led the market, but raised prices
Huawei was the top brand with a 21.3% share, and its shipments grew 19% year on year. Counterpoint names the Enjoy 90 Pro Max, Nova 16 and Mate 80 as its key models.
Huawei also raised its prices from September 1. Counterpoint expects that to weigh on its Q4 numbers. Together, Apple and Huawei held 40% of the market.
China Q3 2026 market share
- Huawei: 21.3% (16.0% in Q3 2025)
- Apple: 19.5% (14.7%)
- vivo: 15.2% (18.0%)
- OPPO, including OnePlus and realme: 15.1% (16.4%)
- Xiaomi: 13.5% (15.1%)
- HONOR: 12.7% (14.9%)
- Others: 2.8% (4.8%)
The shares come from preliminary sell-in data, meaning phones shipped to retailers rather than sold to buyers. Counterpoint notes the figures may not total 100% due to rounding. It did not publish unit totals.
How Android brands are working around higher costs
The other four big brands all lost share. Counterpoint says they reacted in different ways to keep starting prices in check.
- Xiaomi: delayed its base Mi 18.
- vivo, OPPO and HONOR: added Pro Max models at the top.
- OPPO and HONOR: added variants priced slightly below their base phones, the Find X10E and Magic9 Super.
A cheaper variant keeps the headline starting price down. As a general rule, though, a lower-priced spin-off can mean fewer features. Counterpoint’s release doesn’t say how the Find X10E or Magic9 Super compare with the base models, so check specs before you buy.
Buyers are waiting, and Counterpoint sees more pain ahead
Chinese buyers are delaying upgrades, waiting for big promotions and turning to refurbished phones. Counterpoint warns about what that means for the next quarter.
“These behaviors could further weaken smartphone demand and put additional pressure on Q4 sales.”
— Counterpoint Research
The China numbers echo Counterpoint’s wider Q3 shipment data. Memory costs remain the thread tying them together.
Source: Counterpoint Research
