- Apple's iPhone 18 Pro series saw a solid launch in China with 12% YoY growth in its first week, helping the company lead sales in Week 38, supported by strong early upgrades, aggressive channel support and a narrowing price gap between top-tier competitor flagships and the iPhone Pro series.
- China’s weekly sales have declined double-digit YoY since July amid soft demand and rising memory costs; September’s new product launches are expected to support sequential recovery.
- Huawei continues to innovate in form factors, with wide-screen slab Pura X View well received and wide foldable Pura X Max seeing renewed sales momentum after the iPhone Duo announcement.
- Chinese flagship models have seen significant price increases, particularly due to higher-memory and 2nm SoC variants, which could weigh on sales.
Beijing, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Fort Collins, Hong Kong, London, New Delhi, Seoul, Taipei, Tokyo – Sept 30, 2026
China’s weekly smartphone sales have declined by double-digits YoY since July, according to Counterpoint Research’s China Weekly Smartphone Sell-Out Tracker. Consumer demand has remained soft amid rising memory costs this year, but the new product launch cycle in September is expected to support sequential market recovery.
China Smartphone Weekly Sales, Week 33 – Week 38
Source: Counterpoint Research China Weekly Smartphone Tracker Notes: Week 38 in 2026 September 14 – 20; iPhone 18 Pro series went on sale on September 18, 2026
During the first three days of its sales (which accounted for only three days in Week 38), the iPhone 18 Pro series recorded 12% YoY growth compared with the iPhone sales. The strong initial performance helped Apple move into the No. 1 spot in sales in Week 38, with a 33% share of China's smartphone market. Commenting on its performance, Senior Analyst Ivan Lam said, “The delayed launch of the base iPhone 18 may have driven some consumers to trade up to the Pro series, while price hikes of over $200 on many Chinese flagship models may have raised the price anchor, strengthening the iPhone’s relative value proposition.”
Beyond Apple, Huawei introduced a new wide-screen slab form factor with the Pura X View. It adopts a 16:9.5 wide-screen ratio, bringing a more natural and comfortable viewing. Its innovative form factor, well-positioned pricing and flagship-level specifications have supported strong initial sales. Research Analyst Shiwen Ma commented, “By bringing the wide-screen experience of foldables to a hinge-free slab phone, the Huawei Pura X View addresses a gap for consumers who want a larger screen without paying a premium or accepting the bulk of a foldable device.”
Meanwhile, the recent wave of wide-screen foldable launches, including the iPhone Duo and Xiaomi 18 Fold, has further boosted sales of the Pura X Max several months after its launch.
Chinese Android OEMs also launched their new flagships in September, with most models going on sale before the Chinese National Day holiday. Rising memory costs have pushed up flagship prices significantly versus predecessors, with higher-memory variants and 2nm SoC models generally seeing more pronounced increases. Therefore we expect this generation to see lower sales than its predecessors over Q4.
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