China’s third-quarter smartphone shipments fell 10% year on year, the lowest third quarter since 2012, according to Counterpoint Research figures reported by AppDook.
Huawei led the market with 21.3% share, while Apple was second at 19.5%, a stronger Apple position than some analysts expected in a soft consumer market.
Two Firms, Two Different Readings
IDC put the decline at a steeper 15.4%, with Apple second at 17.8% share, according to the same report, a reminder that market-share figures vary by methodology even when the direction is clear.
Both firms agree on the essentials: the market shrank, Huawei stayed on top, and Apple held second place, even as memory costs pushed prices higher.
In China, a soft consumer market combined with rising memory costs has led to six straight quarters of declines in smartphone shipments, according to BusinessWorld, even as Apple’s market share has rebounded.
Why Premium Buyers Keep Trading Up
Apple’s rebound reflects a split in the market, with some buyers trading up to premium devices while others seek value at the lower end, putting pressure on mid-range brands caught in the middle.
The same pattern is visible globally. Premium launches such as the iPhone Duo, priced from $1,999, can still draw queues, while budget phones with huge batteries win over price-sensitive buyers.
For consumers, the message is that the middle of the market is the hardest place to stand out, and that value now comes from either end: a genuinely cheap phone that does the basics brilliantly, or a premium phone that justifies its price.
Manufacturers heading into the holiday quarter will be watching whether the new foldables and the festive sales season can reverse six quarters of decline, or whether shoppers keep holding on to their phones for longer.
Longer phone ownership is becoming the norm, and it changes how buyers should judge value. A phone kept for four years needs a durable battery, reliable software updates and a repair network, not just a low launch price. Manufacturers that support older models longer are increasingly winning loyalty, while shoppers who replace phones less often reduce both their spending and electronic waste, whatever the quarterly shipment figures say.
