Huawei, Apple Maintain Prices, Rank Top 2 in China's Q1 Mobile Phone Shipments
According to an Omdia report, China's smartphone market saw a 1% decline in Q1 2026, with 69.8 million units shipped. Despite rising memory prices leading some brands to increase prices, Huawei and Apple maintained their pricing, securing the top two spots. Huawei shipped 13.9 million units (20% market share), while Apple shipped 13.1 million units (19% market share).
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 14, 2026 at 20:46
- 🔍 Collected: April 14, 2026 at 21:01 (15 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 15, 2026 at 17:38 (20h 36m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Taipei, April 14) Global memory prices continue to soar. A market research report released today shows that Huawei and Apple, by resisting pressure and not raising prices, ranked among the top 2 in China's mobile phone shipments in the first quarter.
Market research firm Omdia today released a report stating that due to rising costs leading some brands to increase product prices, China's smartphone market continued to decline, with Q1 shipments falling by 1% compared to the same period last year, reaching 69.8 million units.
In terms of brand rankings, Huawei jumped to first place with 13.9 million units shipped, accounting for 20% market share, continuing its strong momentum; Apple ranked second with 13.1 million units shipped, accounting for 19% market share, ceding its top position.
OPPO, after realme returned as a sub-brand at the beginning of the year, shipped 11 million units in the first quarter, ranking 3rd; vivo shipped 10.5 million units, ranking 4th; Xiaomi shipped 8.7 million units, ranking 5th.
Omdia Chief Analyst Hou Lin stated that due to rising memory prices, some brands raised retail prices for some products in Q1 to find a relative balance between sales volume, sales revenue, and brand profit. However, this undoubtedly had a negative impact on consumer purchasing willingness. Huawei and Apple, on the other hand, did not significantly raise prices and viewed rising costs as an opportunity to expand market share, making their products relatively more popular with consumers, which is also why these two brands performed relatively better in Q1.
Omdia Senior Analyst Zhong Xiaolei pointed out that rising costs will make mid-range and entry-level phones more passive, especially product series that previously emphasized hardware specifications and cost-effectiveness, which may face larger price increases this year.
The report said that the Chinese mainland market is currently continuing to decline due to rising memory prices, and it is expected that the overall Chinese mainland smartphone market will be in a downward trend throughout 2026, with annual shipments possibly decreasing by about 10%.
According to Omdia's previous release, China's smartphone market shipments in Q4 2025 were 76.4 million units, with Apple ranking first with 16.5 million units and 22% market share; Huawei ranked 4th with 11.1 million units. (Edited by Yang Shengru/Chen Yan-chun) 1150414
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency's "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.
(Central News Agency, Taipei, April 14) Global memory prices continue to soar. A market research report released today shows that Huawei and Apple, by resisting pressure and not raising prices, ranked among the top 2 in China's mobile phone shipments in the first quarter.
Market research firm Omdia today released a report stating that due to rising costs leading some brands to increase product prices, China's smartphone market continued to decline, with Q1 shipments falling by 1% compared to the same period last year, reaching 69.8 million units.
In terms of brand rankings, Huawei jumped to first place with 13.9 million units shipped, accounting for 20% market share, continuing its strong momentum; Apple ranked second with 13.1 million units shipped, accounting for 19% market share, ceding its top position.
OPPO, after realme returned as a sub-brand at the beginning of the year, shipped 11 million units in the first quarter, ranking 3rd; vivo shipped 10.5 million units, ranking 4th; Xiaomi shipped 8.7 million units, ranking 5th.
Omdia Chief Analyst Hou Lin stated that due to rising memory prices, some brands raised retail prices for some products in Q1 to find a relative balance between sales volume, sales revenue, and brand profit. However, this undoubtedly had a negative impact on consumer purchasing willingness. Huawei and Apple, on the other hand, did not significantly raise prices and viewed rising costs as an opportunity to expand market share, making their products relatively more popular with consumers, which is also why these two brands performed relatively better in Q1.
Omdia Senior Analyst Zhong Xiaolei pointed out that rising costs will make mid-range and entry-level phones more passive, especially product series that previously emphasized hardware specifications and cost-effectiveness, which may face larger price increases this year.
The report said that the Chinese mainland market is currently continuing to decline due to rising memory prices, and it is expected that the overall Chinese mainland smartphone market will be in a downward trend throughout 2026, with annual shipments possibly decreasing by about 10%.
According to Omdia's previous release, China's smartphone market shipments in Q4 2025 were 76.4 million units, with Apple ranking first with 16.5 million units and 22% market share; Huawei ranked 4th with 11.1 million units. (Edited by Yang Shengru/Chen Yan-chun) 1150414
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency's "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.
FAQ
What was the trend in China's smartphone market in Q1 2026?
China's smartphone market in Q1 2026 saw a 1% year-on-year decline, with shipments totaling 69.8 million units. Rising memory prices led some brands to increase prices, negatively impacting consumer purchasing willingness.
Why did Huawei and Apple perform well in the Chinese market?
Huawei and Apple maintained their product prices despite soaring memory costs, which attracted consumers. This strategy allowed them to expand their market share, securing the first and second positions in Q1, respectively.