Huawei reclaimed the top spot in mainland China’s smartphone market for full-year 2025, according to IDC shipment data. But the result was close, not a clean sweep: Apple led in Q4 2025, then Huawei returned to first in IDC’s Q1 and preliminary Q2 2026 rankings.
What Huawei’s No. 1 ranking means
The ranking is about smartphone shipments in mainland China. It does not establish that Huawei led the world, generated the most phone revenue or profit, had the largest installed base, or offered the most satisfying phones. IDC’s tracker counts vendor shipments and distinguishes new branded devices from refurbished ones; it also treats very small share differences as statistical ties. IDC’s smartphone tracker methodology explains the basis for its rankings.
Use “shipments” rather than “sales” for these figures: devices sent into the sales channel are not necessarily devices already bought or activated by consumers. Rankings can also differ between firms because they use their own data collection and market definitions.
The timeline: Huawei led the year, Apple led the quarter
| Period | What the ranking shows | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Full-year 2025 | Huawei returned to first place in mainland China. | IDC’s annual shipment ranking; China shipped about 284 million smartphones, down about 0.6% year over year. IDC |
| Q4 2025 | Apple took the quarterly lead. | IDC reported Apple’s strong iPhone 17 performance and double-digit shipment growth in the quarter, even as the overall market declined. IDC tracker release archive |
| Full-year 2025, alternate estimate | Huawei held about 16.4% of shipments. | CNA’s summary of IDC data described Huawei’s lead over Apple and vivo as slight; it did not establish an exact Apple share. CNA |
| Q1 2026 | Huawei led again. | IDC linked its position to flagship and foldable supply; it said Pura X shipments exceeded 1.5 million units in the quarter. IDC |
| Q1 2026, alternate estimate | Huawei was at about 20%, Apple at about 19%. | Counterpoint’s quarterly figures corroborate the close Huawei lead, but are that firm’s estimates and should not be combined with IDC’s figures. Counterpoint |
| Q2 2026 | Huawei held 22.6%; Apple held 18.1%. | Preliminary IDC shipment data. The market shipped about 66 million units, down 4.3% year over year. IDC |
The chronology matters: Huawei’s annual win does not mean it beat Apple in every quarter. Nor is the market a two-company contest; vivo, OPPO, Xiaomi, Honor and other brands remain part of the competition.
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How Huawei rebuilt its position
A return across more price bands
Huawei’s lineup spans Mate flagships, camera-focused Pura phones, Nova mid-range devices, lower-priced Enjoy models and foldables such as the Pura X and Mate X series. IDC attributed Huawei’s Q2 2026 performance in part to wider product coverage, steady pricing and targeted promotions. That breadth gives the company more ways to compete than relying on one flagship launch. IDC’s Q2 market analysis
Premium phones and foldables
Huawei’s recovery includes premium demand, not just low-priced volume. IDC highlighted the Mate 80 series and Pura X in Q1 2026, and reported more than 1.5 million Pura X shipments that quarter. Premium strength, foldable performance and overall unit leadership are related, but they are not the same measure.
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Supply and brand pull
Huawei’s ability to supply desirable devices has improved enough to support a stronger presence in the market, while its domestic brand appeal has remained potent. National sentiment may contribute to that appeal, particularly given Huawei’s prominence in China’s technology-independence debate. Shipment totals, however, cannot show how many buyers chose a phone for patriotic reasons rather than its features, ecosystem, availability or price.
HarmonyOS and the domestic ecosystem
Huawei has invested in HarmonyOS and in supporting apps and services for its ecosystem. Omdia reported that Huawei upgraded HarmonyOS and committed RMB 1 billion to support the HarmonyOS and AI ecosystem. Omdia’s 2025 market analysis
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Software needs a model- and market-specific check. Huawei’s mainland-China phones may use newer, more independent HarmonyOS approaches, while software and services can differ on international models. Do not assume that every Huawei phone has the same Android compatibility or app access. Buyers who rely on Google services should verify the exact device’s support for Google Play, Android Auto, banking and streaming apps, and workplace tools before purchase.
Apple remains a serious rival
Apple’s Q4 2025 lead came amid strong iPhone 17 demand; Omdia estimated 16.5 million Apple shipments and a 22% share in that quarter. That is Omdia’s estimate, not an IDC figure, so it should not be merged with IDC’s ranking or shares. Apple also grew in IDC’s Q2 2026 comparison, up 24.4% year over year, even though Huawei ranked ahead.
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A lower unit share does not mean lower revenue or profit. Apple’s premium prices and services make shipment rankings a poor proxy for its financial performance. Its iOS ecosystem and international compatibility also matter to buyers in ways a China shipment table cannot measure.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.A leadership win in a shrinking market
Huawei took the annual lead while China’s overall smartphone market was slightly smaller: IDC put 2025 shipments at about 284 million, down 0.6% year over year. The market then declined 3.3% to about 69 million shipments in Q1 2026 and 4.3% to about 66 million in Q2. IDC described Q2 as the fifth consecutive quarter of year-over-year decline; smartphone sales during the 618 shopping festival fell close to 15% year over year, according to the same analysis.
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In IDC’s Q2 2026 data, Huawei and Apple were the only major vendors to grow year over year: Huawei shipments rose 19.4% and Apple’s 24.4%. OPPO, vivo, Xiaomi and Honor declined. IDC also said the top six vendors accounted for about 96% of the market. Rising memory and component costs, consumers delaying upgrades and pressure on low-end margins can favor brands with stronger scale, supply and pricing power; the figures do not establish that any one factor caused a particular brand’s result.
Should the ranking affect your buying decision?
A China-market No. 1 ranking is not a universal recommendation. The right choice depends on where you will use the phone and which services you need.
| Buyer situation | What to check |
|---|---|
| Mainland-China buyer | Compare the exact Huawei or Apple model, its local app support, ecosystem fit, price and warranty. A shipment ranking cannot tell you which phone best fits your needs. |
| Buyer in Hong Kong, Macau or another overseas market | Check the model’s regional software, app availability, supported cellular bands, official distribution and local repair coverage. These can differ from mainland-China versions. |
| Buyer importing a Huawei phone to Europe or the United States | Before paying, confirm Google-service and app compatibility, carrier-band support, warranty and repair arrangements, regional firmware, import duties and return rights. An attractive hardware offer can be a poor fit if the services or support you need are unavailable. |
Huawei hardware, cameras, foldables and Chinese ecosystem integration may suit some buyers particularly well. For people dependent on Google services or internationally consistent app and support access, compatibility and warranty checks deserve priority over Huawei’s market rank.
What to watch next
The key test is whether Huawei can sustain supply and demand while the overall market contracts, and whether HarmonyOS can continue attracting developers and useful local services. Apple has shown it can regain the quarterly lead, while domestic competitors still contest the market across price tiers. The 2025 result marks a meaningful recovery after years away from the top, not a return to Huawei’s former dominance: CNA’s summary put the company’s share far below its historical peak of roughly 46%.
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