Huawei Tops China’s 2025 Smartphone Market as Apple Slips to Third
Huawei reclaimed the top position in the Greater China smartphone market in 2025, surpassing domestic competitors and pushing Apple down to third place, according to data released on March 5 by research firm Omida.
Huawei secured a 17% market share in China last year, registering a 2% year-on-year sales increase. The company’s resurgence was driven by the popularity of its top-tier models, including the Pura 80 series and Nova 14 handsets, alongside its significant return to using Kirin 5G chips after a five-year pause.
While Apple dropped in the rankings, it still managed a 7% year-on-year increase in the region, holding a 16% share of the critical Chinese market. Vivo ranked second, also with a 16% share, despite experiencing a 7% year-on-year decrease in sales within the Greater China sector.
Huawei has maintained its leading momentum into the onset of 2026, bolstered by continued strong demand for its Mate 80 phones, signaling ongoing intense competition in the market.
Huawei’s Product-Led Recovery
The year 2025 proved crucial for Huawei's market recovery. Omida attributed the company's success to the introduction of new camera technologies and the strategic official move back to its proprietary Kirin 5G semiconductors. This product strategy enabled Huawei to capture the first spot in the Chinese market for the year. The firm notes that Huawei is still leading in early 2026 due to the Mate 80 series, though whether it can maintain this position in upcoming quarters remains to be seen.
Domestic Rivals Face Mixed Results
Following Huawei and Vivo, Xiaomi secured the fourth spot in the Greater China market. Xiaomi held a 15% market share in 2025, achieving a 4% increase in annual growth. Vivo, while securing second place domestically based on market share, faced headwinds with its significant 7% year-on-year sales decline in the region.
Global versus Domestic Rankings
Apple’s position in China contrasts with its dominant global performance. The iPhone maker secured the top rank globally in 2025 with a 19% market share and 7% annual shipment growth, driven by demand for iPhone 17 models. On the global stage, Xiaomi ranked third with a 13% share despite a 2% year-on-year decrease, while Vivo took the fourth spot globally with an 8% share and 4% annual growth. Omida noted that brands including Huawei, Apple, Vivo, and Samsung all showed positive growth when viewing the combined global and Greater China 2025 sales data.