Counterpoint Research reports Apple defied China's smartphone market decline in Q4 2025, with iPhone shipments jumping 28% year-over-year. The iPhone 17 series drove this growth, giving Apple a 21.8% market share and the top spot for the quarter, reversing its previous position behind vivo.

The success stemmed from the iPhone 17 line's strong reception. The Pro models featured a new camera design, while base variants offered double the storage at unchanged prices. The delayed, ultra-thin iPhone Air struggled, capturing only a low single-digit share due to late launch and feature trade-offs.

For the full year, Apple's 7.5% growth placed it second in China with 16.7% share, just behind Huawei's 16.9%. This marks a continued recovery for Apple in a crucial market where it had faced years of sales pressure from domestic competitors.