China’s smartphone market continued to face pressure in 2025, according to IDC, with shipments declining despite early-year stimulus. In the fourth quarter of 2025, shipments reached 75.8 million units, down 0.8 percent year on year, as rising memory costs forced domestic brands to cut low-end models to protect margins. Limited impact from renewed government subsidies also kept inventory levels low.
For the full year, China’s smartphone shipments totaled about 285 million units, a 0.6 percent annual decline. While subsidies and Lunar New Year demand boosted sales early in the year, momentum weakened later as costs increased and subsidy funds ran out.
Apple led the market in the final quarter, driven by strong iPhone 17 sales and strategic pricing, while Huawei topped full-year shipments. IDC expects a sharper market decline in 2026 as cost pressures intensify.
China Smartphone Market Q4 2025: Apple Leads as Market Sees Modest Decline
IDC preliminary data shows China’s smartphone market shipped 75.8 million units in the fourth quarter of 2025, marking a 0.8 percent year-on-year decline. Apple emerged as the clear market leader, shipping 16 million units and capturing a 21.1 percent market share. Apple also recorded the strongest growth among the top five vendors, with shipments rising 21.5 percent compared with Q4 2024, driven by strong demand for its latest iPhone models.
Vivo ranked second with 12 million units shipped and a 15.8 percent market share, though its shipments declined 8.8 percent year on year. OPPO followed closely in third place, shipping 11.6 million units and increasing its market share to 15.3 percent, supported by a 10.2 percent growth. Huawei shipped 11.1 million units, taking a 14.7 percent share, but saw a 10.3 percent annual decline. Xiaomi and Honor were tied in the next positions, with shipments of around 10 million units each, both recording notable year-on-year declines. The data highlights Apple’s growing dominance in China’s premium smartphone segment amid overall market pressure.
China’s smartphone market remained under pressure in 2025, with total shipments declining 0.6 percent year on year to 284.6 million units, according to IDC. Huawei led the market for the full year with shipments of 46.7 million units and a 16.4 percent market share, although its volumes slipped 1.9 percent compared with 2024.
Apple and vivo were tied for second place, each holding a 16.2 percent market share. Apple shipped 46.2 million units, recording solid annual growth of 4.0 percent, reflecting continued strength in the premium segment. In contrast, vivo’s shipments fell 6.6 percent to 46.1 million units, highlighting weaker momentum over the year. Xiaomi ranked fourth with 43.8 million units and posted one of the stronger growth rates among the top vendors at 4.3 percent, while OPPO followed closely with 43.4 million units and a 2.1 percent increase.
Collectively, the top five vendors accounted for nearly 80 percent of China’s smartphone shipments in 2025, underscoring intense competition at the top of the market. The “Others” category declined 3.3 percent year on year, indicating ongoing consolidation as scale and brand strength became increasingly important in a challenging cost environment.
BABURAJAN KIZHAKEDATH