Apple (AAPL) Outruns the Pack in China, iPhone Shipments Race 20% Ahead in Q1
Consumer electronics giant Apple (AAPL) bucked the trend to significantly grow its iPhone shipments in China during the first quarter of this year, according to data from Counterpoint Research.
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The Silicon Valley company boosted its shipments by 20% between January and March, even though the total number of smartphones shipped into the world’s largest smartphone market fell by 4% during the period. A shortage of memory chips and surging prices combined with supply chain challenges to drag down shipments.
Apple (AAPL) Defies the Odds in China and Globally
However, Apple’s impressive iPhone shipment performance extends beyond China’s borders. Data has also shown that Apple increased its global iPhone shipments by 5% year-over-year during the first quarter.
This is even though global smartphone shipments fell by 6% from a year ago. The boost gave Apple 21% of the global smartphone market and retained its top spot.
By contrast, arch-rival Samsung’s (SSNLF) shipments declined by 6% from a year ago, in part because of the delayed launch of the Galaxy S26.
Meanwhile, in China, Apple’s shipment growth far exceeded that of its competitor Huawei, which continues to lead the local market despite shipping only 2% more smartphones during the quarter.
Why iPhone Sales Are Surging in China
The trend-defying performance by Apple in China comes as earlier data have shown that iPhone sales soared by 23% in the country during the first nine weeks of this year. Sales were propelled by e-commerce discounts and Chinese government subsidies on the base iPhone 17 model.
While smartphone vendors in China have been forced to protect their profit margins by increasing the price of their low-end phones amid soaring memory chip costs, researchers believe thatApple is likely to take some margin hit rather than raise prices, thereby prioritizing the expansion of its market share in China.
The latest performance comes even though Apple’s iPhone shipments to China fell sharply in December 2025 and January this year.
Is Apple Still a Good Stock to Buy?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts remain cautious on Apple’s shares and have a Moderate Buy consensus rating on the stock. This is based on 15 Buys, eight Holds, and one Sell recommended by 24 analysts over the past three months.
However, the average AAPL price target of $304.85 implies roughly 16% upside from current trading levels.
