Huawei Regains China Smartphone Market Crown in Q2, Apple Drops to Fifth

According to data from Canalys reported by the Zhitong Finance app, Huawei reclaimed the top position in the Chinese smartphone market in the second quarter of 2025, while Apple Inc. (AAPL.US) ranked fifth.

Image Huawei nova 14

Huawei ranked first with a shipment volume of 12.2 million units, representing a year-on-year increase of 15% and a market share of 18%. Vivo closely followed, with shipments reaching 11.8 million units, accounting for 17% of the market share. However, compared to its shipment volume of 13.1 million units in the second quarter of 2024, Vivo experienced a year-on-year decline of 10%.

Canalys analyst Lucas Zhong stated, "Huawei has launched the Nova 14 series, its first to feature the HarmonyOS 5.0 system. This move is expected to accelerate the expansion of its independent ecosystem user base, while also placing higher demands on system compatibility and user experience."

The report added that vivo implements a staggered release strategy through the new X200, S30, and Y300 series models to cover a broader customer base.

OPPO (including OnePlus) ranked third with a shipment volume of 10.7 million units, holding a market share of 16%. Xiaomi achieved year-on-year growth for the eighth consecutive quarter, ranking fourth with a shipment volume of 10.4 million units.

The report pointed out that in May, Xiaomi launched its self-developed chip XRing O1, which is equipped in flagship models Xiaomi 15s Pro and Xiaomi Pad 7 Ultra, demonstrating its long-term commitment to independent research and development as well as high-end products.

Apple ranked fifth with a shipment volume of 10.1 million units, a year-on-year increase of 4%.

In the second quarter, Apple strategically adjusted the pricing of the new iPhone 16 series to boost demand for the shopping season. However, the initial growth momentum was hindered due to the pricing being too high to meet the national subsidy standards.

According to the report, as the stimulus effect brought by the national subsidy policy at the beginning of the year gradually weakened, the smartphone market in mainland China declined by 4% year-on-year in the second quarter.

Amber Liu, Business Director at Canalys, stated that the mainland China smartphone market is expected to achieve moderate growth for the entire year and is likely to surpass the global market by 2025. "With economic resilience becoming apparent in the second half of the year, consumer confidence is expected to continue recovering. As manufacturers adopted cautious channel strategies during the subsidy surge to avoid stockpiling, inventory levels have remained healthy. The subsidy policies in the first half of the year have already released a large amount of demand in advance, and manufacturers are currently facing the challenge of maintaining the momentum for device replacement."