Apple reported a robust 23% year-on-year increase in iPhone sales in China during the first nine weeks of 2026, significantly outperforming the broader market amid a general downturn. While several Android manufacturers raised prices due to elevated memory chip costs, Apple bucked the trend.
Overall smartphone shipments in China declined 4% year-on-year during the January-to-early-March period, according to Counterpoint Research data released Thursday. Government subsidies introduced at the beginning of the year failed to meaningfully boost lackluster consumer demand.
Reuters:
The U.S. tech giant’s tight grip on its supply chain leaves it better placed than rivals to absorb the impact of soaring memory chip costs, and it is expected to hold the line on pricing while competitors raise theirs, the report said.
“Apple is unlikely to follow suit, instead absorbing part of the margin pressure and using the situation to potentially expand its market share,” Counterpoint said.
Amid the rising costs of memory chips, Chinese Android phone makers OPPO and vivo have announced price increases on some existing models to take effect this month, a move Counterpoint said is partly designed to gauge consumer reaction ahead of new product launches and inform pricing for next-generation handsets.
Counterpoint expects the Chinese market to stay under pressure from March through May, with some relief in early June when China’s mid-year “618” shopping festival typically unleashes a wave of promotional activity.
MacDailyNews Take: The iPhone wannabes are, indeed, also-rans.
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