iPhone shipments in China fell 9%, while Xiaomi regained the lead

In the first quarter of 2025, China shipped 71.6 million smartphones, up 3.3% from the same period last year. All Chinese manufacturers saw an increase in shipments, while iPhone shipments were the only ones to fall by 9%.

According to a new report from International Data Corporation (IDC), the growth in shipments in China was driven by government subsidies that were extended to smartphones in January 2025, as well as the peak sales season during the Spring Festival. China outpaced the global market, where growth was just 1.5%.

Apple is the fifth-largest smartphone maker, shipping 9.8 million iPhones in the first quarter. The leader in the Chinese market is now Xiaomi, which shipped 13.3 million smartphones, up 39.9% from the same period last year.

"Xiaomi stood out as it regained the top spot after nearly a decade, a resurgence largely fueled by government subsidies... Apple, on the other hand, declined as its premium pricing structure prevented it from capitalizing on the subsidies," says Will Wong, senior research manager for client devices at IDC.

Although Apple is struggling in the Chinese market, the Cupertino company has become the leader in the global smartphone market, according to a report by Counterpoint Research. In the first quarter of 2025, it overtook Samsung.