Mainland China’s smartphone shipments fell by 2% in Q2 2026, but Huawei and Apple outperformed the broader market, highlighting increased market polarisation and shifting vendor strategies amidst rising costs.
Mainland China’s smartphone market fell 2% year on year in the second quarter of 2026, with shipments reaching 66.1 million units, according to Omdia. The research firm said the contraction was smaller than the 4% decline seen globally, but it also pointed to a market that is becoming more polarised as rising memory costs squeeze vendors with weaker premium portfolios.
Huawei widened its lead in the market, taking a 23% share after a run of new launches and a comparatively steady pricing stance. Apple finished second with 12.4 million units shipped and a 19% share, which Omdia said marked record second-quarter highs for the company in mainland China. LightReading and Omdia said both companies outperformed the broader market, while a separate report from Gizmochina noted that Apple’s more restrained pricing helped it remain competitive against local rivals.
The rest of the top tier also showed resilience, but with a more cautious emphasis on profitability. OPPO, including OnePlus and realme, shipped 10.6 million phones for third place and a 16% share. vivo followed with 10.5 million units, while Xiaomi ranked fifth with 8.2 million and a 12% share, Omdia said. Industry coverage cited by Gizmochina said several Chinese Android makers are trimming low-end output and leaning more heavily towards higher-margin devices.
Omdia analyst Hayden Hou said vendors are responding to higher memory costs by adjusting portfolios, pricing and channel strategy, creating shorter-term divergence in shipment performance. He said Huawei’s strength has been helped by demand in the premium segment, domestic supply chain links and the appeal of models such as the Pura X Max and Enjoy 90 Pro Max. Omdia expects mainland China shipments to fall 6% in 2026, but remain more resilient than the global market as vendors balance volume against profit margins.
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