Foreign-brand phone shipments to China rise 1.8% in April, CAICT data shows
A sharp slowdown for Apple and other non-Chinese vendors after a Q1 in which iPhones grew above 40% year-on-year.
May 26, 2026 – 10:14 am
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Foreign-branded smartphone shipments to China, led by Apple, increased by 1.8% year-over-year in April, reaching 3.59 million handsets, according to calculations based on data from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT). This is a notable deceleration from the faster growth seen earlier in the year.
While the CAICT data doesn’t provide individual vendor figures, Apple remains the dominant foreign brand in the Chinese market. The category’s performance is often considered a proxy for iPhone sales. Samsung, Sony, and several niche brands make up the rest of the foreign-brand segment.
The overall Chinese smartphone market has stalled, with total shipments falling 3.3% in Q1 to approximately 69 million units, according to IDC. Huawei reclaimed the top spot, while Apple maintained second place. Xiaomi’s shipments plummeted by 35% during this period.
Several factors could contribute to April’s slowdown for foreign brands:
- Apple’s pricing advantage: As memory chip prices rose, Apple avoided significant price hikes, drawing in more buyers who might have otherwise waited until the September iPhone refresh.
- Seasonal trends: April typically marks a lull before the September iPhone release, leading to compressed year-over-year comparisons.
The question remains whether this is a single weak month or the beginning of a flatter trend for foreign brands in China, especially for Apple, which has been working to stabilize its business after a challenging 2024.