Apple is by far the largest foreign brand in the Chinese market, routinely accounting for the bulk of non-domestic shipments. The sharp rebound for foreign (mainly Apple) devices came even as the broader Chinese smartphone market continued to contract. Total phone shipments within China fell 15.3% from a year earlier to 19.15 million handsets in June, the government-affiliated research body reported on Wednesday. The figures underscore a clear divergence in the world’s largest smartphone market. In the second quarter of 2026, Apple was one of only two major brands (alongside Huawei) to post shipment growth, lifting its market share to roughly 18%.