Apple grew iPhone sales in China by 23% at the start of 2026 | Business
Apple grew iPhone sales in China by 23% at the start of 2026 | Business
Publish Date: 2026-03-19 06:00:00
Source Domain: www.theweeklyjournal.com
Apple led smartphone sales growth in China at the beginning of 2026, with a 23% year-over-year increase in iPhone sales, according to a study by the consultancy Counterpoint. The study also estimates a 4% contraction for the overall Chinese smartphone market due to the impact of rising memory chip prices.
Apple’s sales growth was driven by e-commerce discounts, while its base iPhone 17 also benefited from government subsidies, the study’s authors note.
“Thanks to its strong control over the supply chain, Apple is well-positioned to weather the current memory crisis,” Counterpoint emphasizes. While Android manufacturers are announcing price increases, “Apple is unlikely to follow suit” and will instead absorb some of the pressure on margins and potentially use the situation to expand its market share.
The consultancy also anticipates that Huawei will seize this opportunity to gain more market share in the low-end and mid-range segments, given the Chinese manufacturer’s heavy reliance on domestic suppliers, which provides it with a significant safety margin amidst rising global memory prices.
Overall, in the first nine weeks of 2026, smartphone sales in China fell 4% year-on-year. Despite government subsidies, market performance during the first two months suggests their impact has been limited, and overall demand remains weak.
Thus, while Lunar New Year promotions by Chinese brands in February boosted sales compared to January, the soaring price of memory chips limited the extent of the discounts, resulting in sales during the holiday period and the three preceding weeks remaining 2% lower than the previous year.
Looking ahead, Counterpoint expects the Chinese smartphone market to remain under pressure between March and May, although it anticipates some improvement in early June.
In any case, it considers it likely that rising memory costs…
