China’s smartphone sales fell 2.7% YoY in Q3 2025, according to data from Counterpoint’s Market Pulse Service. Consumer demand remained subdued amidst the sluggish economy during the summer holiday and back-to-school periods. Although the impact of the national subsidy program faded after Q1, it continued supporting higher average selling prices (ASP) for smartphones in China.

vivo’s share declined to 18.5% during the quarter amidst intensifying competition. Nevertheless, its broad product portfolio across price segments helped maintain its leading position, with strong contributions from the S30, X200s, Y300, and newly launched Y500 models.

Huawei’s high-end Mate 70 and Pura 80 series sell-out were weaker than predecessors, while the Nova 14 series continued to perform. However, Huawei is facing challenges as its newly launched models run on HarmonyOS NEXT, which still faces some ecosystem limitations.

OPPO showed signs of recovery, supported by stable sales of the Reno 14 series and strong momentum from its sub-brand OnePlus. The OnePlus Ace 5 and 13 series emerged as key growth drivers, appealing to young consumers with powerful gaming performance, sleek minimalist design, and competitive pricing. OPPO overall grew fasted amongst the major OEMs, rising YoY by 2.1%.

Xiaomi also recorded positive YoY growth, up 1.1% in Q3 2025, driven by sales of the Redmi Note 15 and K80 series. The recently launched Xiaomi 17 series have also gained strong traction since its earlier debut, particularly the 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, helping Xiaomi gain momentum through the first 10 days of October.

HONOR declined 8.1% YoY but the X70 series is a stand out in the entry segment with its 8,300mAh battery, fast-charging capabilities, and durability. HONOR is investing heavily in AI, aiming to transform itself from smartphone maker to an ecosystem company focused on AI devices.

Slowing sales of older gen iPhones was offset by especially strong performance of the iPhone 17 series, which far outperformed the iPhone 16 series over initial availability periods. The base iPhone 17 has been very popular, with storage upgraded from 128GB to 256GB while maintaining a starting price of RMB 5,999, offering consumers excellent value for money. Senior Analyst Mengmeng Zhang notes, “Apple’s pricing strategy now adds intensified pressure on other Android brands in the premium segment, whose flagship devices are priced similarly. With so many flagship launches happening I’m expecting a dynamic Q4 with intense competition to drive top-line growth for the quarter.”

Indeed, Q4 2025 is off to a strong start with overall smartphone sell-out in China up 11% YoY during the first two weeks of October.

Apple has been the biggest driver, with strong sales of iPhone 17 series continuing from its first 10 days of sales in September. “In September we saw base model iPhone 17 sales in China almost double that of the 16 over the same period last year,” says Senior Analyst Mengmeng Zhang. “Moving into October, it’s the Pro that is shining with our numbers showing YoY growth almost two-thirds higher than last year’s iPhone 16 Pro.”

Related research: China Smartphone Market off to Strong Q4 on Stellar iPhone Sales

About Counterpoint Research

Counterpoint Research is a global market research firm specializing in products across the technology ecosystem. We advise a diverse range of clients – from smartphone OEMs to chipmakers and channel players to Big Tech – through our offices located in the world's major innovation hubs, manufacturing clusters and commercial centers. Our analyst team, led by seasoned experts, engages with stakeholders across the enterprise – from the C-suite to professionals in strategy, analyst relations (AR), market intelligence (MI), business intelligence (BI), product and marketing – to deliver services spanning market data, industry thought leadership and consulting. Our core areas of coverage include AI, Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Displays, eSIM, IoT, Location Platforms, Macroeconomics, Manufacturing, Networks and Infrastructure, Semiconductors, Smartphones and Wearables. Visit our Insights page to explore our publicly available market data, insights and thought leadership, and to understand our focus, meet our analysts and start a conversation.