IDC: Apple's China Smartphone Share Rises to 17.8% in Q3 2026

Apple accounted for 17.8% of smartphone shipments in China in the third quarter of 2026, up from 15.8% a year earlier, according to a preliminary IDC report. The gain came even as overall smartphone shipments in China fell 15.4% year-over-year in the same period.

Apple's iPhone shipments in China still declined 4.3% year-over-year and 15.1% quarter-over-quarter in Q3 2026, IDC said. The higher share reflects a shrinking total market rather than growth in Apple's own volumes.

Huawei leads as market contracts

Huawei held a 21.1% share of China's smartphone market in Q3 2026, with shipments up 17.3% year-over-year, though they fell 17.6% from the prior quarter. Lenovo was the only other brand in China's top 10 to post year-over-year shipment growth, at 1.1%.

Samsung recorded a 106.5% quarter-over-quarter shipment increase in China during Q3 2026. Wiko saw the largest year-over-year decline in the top 10, with shipments down 74% and its share falling to 0.8% from 2.6%.

IDC said the Q3 2026 figures are preliminary and expects component costs to remain elevated over the next several quarters.