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Apple did fall from first place to a tie for third in mainland China’s full-year smartphone market—but the ranking covers calendar year 2024 and was reported in January 2025, not necessarily Apple’s current position. Canalys data put vivo first with 17% market share, Huawei second with 16%, and Apple tied with OPPO and HONOR at 15%. Apple’s share had been 19% in 2023.
What happened to the iPhone’s ranking?
The precise result is more nuanced than the headline “Apple fell to third.” In mainland China’s 2024 annual smartphone market, Apple held a 15% unit share and was joint third with OPPO and HONOR. It had ranked first in 2023 with a 19% share.
The figures come from Canalys data reported on January 16, 2025, so they should be read as a historical 2024 ranking—not as proof that Apple remains third in 2026.
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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →| Brand | 2024 mainland-China share | Reported 2024 shipments | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| vivo | 17% | 49.3 million | Market leader |
| Huawei | 16% | 46.0 million | Shipments reportedly grew 37% year over year |
| Apple | 15% | Not specified in the cited report | Tied with OPPO and HONOR; down from 19% in 2023 |
| OPPO | 15% | Not specified | Joint third |
| HONOR | 15% | Not specified | Joint third |
Canalys figures reported by 9to5Mac measure smartphone shipments and market share by units. They do not show Apple’s share of smartphone revenue, profit, or the number of customers who switched brands.
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The quarterly decline was sharper
Canalys also reported that iPhone shipments in China fell 25% year over year in the fourth quarter of 2024. That is a quarterly shipment estimate, while the 15% figure is a full-year unit share. The two statistics are related, but they are not interchangeable.
“Shipments” generally refers to devices moving into the sales channel. It is not identical to retail sell-through, Apple’s reported Greater China revenue, or consumer ownership. Apple’s premium prices also mean that its revenue position could differ substantially from its 15% unit share.
The broader market reportedly grew about 4% in 2024 to approximately 285 million smartphones, according to contemporaneous Canalys coverage. Apple therefore faced a share problem as well as a company-specific shipment decline: the overall market was not simply shrinking.
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Huawei was central to Apple’s loss of position. It reached a reported 16% share, shipped about 46 million smartphones, and recorded 37% year-over-year shipment growth. That put it ahead of Apple in the annual ranking.
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Huawei’s strength mattered particularly in the premium segment, where Apple had traditionally been powerful. A strong domestic brand, locally adapted software, and renewed hardware competition gave Chinese buyers an alternative to the iPhone at the high end.
The figures do not prove that Huawei’s entire gain came from former iPhone owners. They establish relative market performance, not customer-level switching. Still, Huawei’s growth meant Apple was competing against a stronger domestic premium rival at the same time that other Chinese brands were competing aggressively on price and features.
Where Apple Intelligence fits into the story
Apple Intelligence began rolling out internationally with iOS 18.1 on October 28, 2024. Apple initially supported the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPhone 16-series models, alongside compatible iPads and Macs. Its capabilities included functions such as writing assistance, notification summaries, image tools, translation, and a more capable Siri experience.
Those features were not available on supported devices purchased in mainland China. Apple’s support documentation also says that a qualifying device purchased outside mainland China may not be able to use Apple Intelligence while the user is in mainland China if the Apple Account region is set to mainland China. Availability depends on the device, software version, language, purchase region, location, and account region.
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That makes “Apple Intelligence is unavailable in China” directionally useful but incomplete. The relevant market is mainland China; Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan can have different availability rules and market conditions.
Why China created a difficult AI rollout
Apple could not necessarily activate the same AI service in mainland China that it offered elsewhere. China’s generative-AI framework adds filing, registration, and compliance requirements. The Cyberspace Administration of China says relevant generative-AI applications or functions must follow the applicable procedures and that launched services should disclose registration information.
In practical terms, a mainland-China launch would require more than translating Apple’s global interface. Apple would need a compliant model and infrastructure, appropriate content controls, and a way to meet local regulatory requirements. Contemporary reports said Apple was discussing possible cooperation with companies including Tencent and ByteDance, but those reports did not establish a completed partnership. They should not be treated as confirmation that Apple had partnered with either company.
Did Apple lose because it had no AI?
Probably not for that reason alone. Apple’s lack of Apple Intelligence was a plausible competitive disadvantage and a visible sign of its localization problem, but the cited market data does not isolate AI’s contribution to the 15% share.
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Several factors likely interacted:
- Huawei’s premium resurgence: Huawei gained share while Apple declined.
- Domestic-brand preference: Patriotic purchasing and broader U.S.-China tensions may have favored Chinese brands for some consumers.
- Promotions and pricing: Chinese manufacturers and retailers competed aggressively on discounts, trade-ins, and specifications.
- A mature market: Longer replacement cycles can make annual upgrades less compelling.
- Product differentiation: Buyers may have viewed the iPhone 16’s improvements as insufficiently distinctive relative to domestic alternatives.
- Local software integration: Chinese brands can tailor assistants, search, editing, automation, and other services to local platforms and language expectations.
- AI feature visibility: Even when AI does not determine a purchase, a rival’s locally available AI tools can make an iPhone appear less current.
Consumers may experience the AI competition through writing tools, photo cleanup, image generation, summaries, translation, voice assistants, visual recognition, and actions across apps. Availability and localization matter more than the word “AI” on a specification sheet.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What this means for someone buying a phone
For a mainland-China buyer, Apple’s ecosystem, cameras, privacy positioning, long-term software support, and integration with other Apple hardware may still outweigh the missing AI features. But anyone treating built-in, locally available generative AI as a primary reason to upgrade should verify the exact iPhone model, purchase region, iOS version, location, and Apple Account region before buying.
Importing a foreign iPhone is not a guaranteed workaround. Apple explicitly warns that Apple Intelligence may still be unavailable in mainland China under specified account and location conditions. Buyers should also check warranty coverage, cellular-band compatibility, app support, and regional software differences.
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- Successfully passed a full diagnostic test which ensures like-new functionality and removal of any prior-user personal information.
- The device does not come with headphones or a SIM card. It does include a generic (Mfi certified) charging cable.
- Inspected and guaranteed to have minimal cosmetic damage, which is not noticeable when the device is held at arm's length.
What Apple would need to regain share
A recovery would likely require more than enabling a few AI functions. Apple would need:
- A compliant and genuinely useful mainland-China AI deployment.
- A credible local model, infrastructure, or technology arrangement if required for that deployment.
- Hardware improvements that are clearly differentiated from domestic flagships.
- Competitive pricing, promotions, and trade-in offers.
- Better integration with the services and software habits of mainland-China users.
None of these requirements guarantees a specific recovery date. Nor does the 2024 ranking prove that Apple’s position is permanently weakened.
What the ranking does—and does not—prove
- It proves that Apple’s reported full-year mainland-China unit share fell from 19% in 2023 to 15% in 2024.
- It shows Apple tied with OPPO and HONOR for third place, rather than holding an undisputed third position.
- It shows vivo and Huawei ahead of Apple in the cited 2024 ranking.
- It shows a reported 25% year-over-year fall in iPhone shipments during Q4 2024.
- It does not prove that Apple Intelligence was the sole or quantified cause of the decline.
- It does not show Apple’s revenue share, profit share, or customer-switching rate.
- It does not describe Apple’s latest market position in 2026.
The clearest interpretation is that Apple lost ground in a growing mainland-China smartphone market while Huawei recovered and domestic brands competed with increasingly localized AI and software features. Apple Intelligence was part of that competitive disadvantage—but not a complete explanation by itself.
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