China smartphone market recovers in April Apfelpatient

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The Chinese smartphone market showed growth in April for the first time after a weak start to the year. While the industry is suffering from memory chip shortages, Apple has kept its prices stable – a strategic advantage that should be reflected in its shipment figures.

The China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) has released updated figures on smartphone shipments in China. The report covers both April 2026 and the first few months of the year, providing insights into the direction of the world's second-largest smartphone market. Apple had previously bucked the trend with significant growth despite a weak Chinese smartphone market, and the latest figures suggest this exceptional performance continued in April.

The most important figures from the April report

In April 2026, a total of 25.7 million mobile phones were shipped in China, representing a 2.8 percent increase compared to the same month of the previous year. Domestic brands accounted for the lion's share with 22.1 million units, representing 86.1 percent of the total market. Their share also increased by 2.9 percent compared to April 2025 (via Reuters).

Foreign brands accounted for 3.59 million device shipments. This category includes, among other providers, primarily iPhone shipments. Year-on-year, this represents an increase of 1.8 percent for April. Looking specifically at smartphones, shipments reached 25 million units – a rise of 12.3 percent. This means that smartphones accounted for 97.3 percent of all mobile phones shipped.

The start of the year remained weak

Despite the upswing in April, the picture for the first four months is subdued. Between January and April, a total of 86.5 million mobile phones were shipped in China – a decrease of 8.6 percent compared to the same period last year. Smartphones declined by 5.5 percent to 82 million units, accounting for 94.8 percent of the total volume.

The variety of models has also decreased. Between January and April, manufacturers launched a total of 138 new mobile phone models – a decrease of 15.3 percent. Of these, 115 were smartphones, representing a slight decline of 0.9 percent. The industry has therefore noticeably streamlined its model pipeline.

Memory chip shortage is particularly impacting entry-level devices

The weaker figures for the year as a whole are consistent with analyses from several market research firms. Counterpoint Research has already pointed out in recent months that the ongoing shortage of DRAM and NAND memory chips is driving up production costs for smartphones. Low-priced models are particularly affected, as they are already calculated with tighter margins.

Samsung had to raise prices across several model lines to pass on rising component costs. Apple, on the other hand, has kept iPhone prices stable so far. This is due to structural reasons: Apple secures memory chips through long-term supply contracts and can therefore absorb fluctuations better than competitors who have to buy on the spot market at short notice.

How this affects Apple's market position

This very constellation has given Apple a noticeable advantage in recent quarters. In the March quarter, the company recorded a 28 percent year-over-year revenue increase in Greater China. Previously, Apple had already grown by 38 percent in the December quarter – the iPhone 17-driven comeback in China had sustained the record quarter.

In addition, there is a broader market dynamic at play. Counterpoint Research recently demonstrated that Apple became the global smartphone market leader for the first time in the first quarter of 2026 – a success largely based on the ultra-premium positioning of the iPhone and Apple's integrated supply chain. At a time when competitors are forced to raise prices, Apple benefits doubly: through price stability and from high-end consumers who are less price-sensitive.

What the next few weeks will show

Since the CAICT report does not break down shipments by individual brand, the exact iPhone contribution to April's growth cannot be determined from these figures. Concrete insights are expected to come with Apple's Q3 2026 earnings report, which is anticipated at the end of July or beginning of August.

From today's perspective, there are several indications that China will remain one of Apple's stronger regions in the June quarter. Should the overall market continue to recover and Apple maintain its pricing discipline, the Chinese business could once again become a highlight. The industry framework – memory chip shortages on the one hand and stable iPhone prices on the other – remains the key driver of Apple's relative strength in the region. (Image: Shutterstock / Anonymous Photographer)