Apple appears to be regaining momentum in China, with new industry figures showing a sharp increase in shipments of foreign smartphones, even as the country’s overall smartphone market declined.
According to data released by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), shipments of foreign-branded smartphones reached 3.28 million units in June, representing a 66% increase compared to May. While the figures include multiple international brands, Apple is widely believed to account for the vast majority of foreign smartphone shipments in China.
The strong monthly growth came despite China’s smartphone market cooling overall. Domestic smartphone shipments totalled 19.15 million units during June, while total smartphone shipments across the country were down 15.3% compared to June 2025, highlighting the resilience of foreign brands in an otherwise weaker market.
The latest data adds to signs that Apple’s performance in China is improving after several challenging years. During its fiscal second quarter earlier this year, Apple reported $20.5 billion in revenue from Greater China, a significant increase from the same period a year earlier. At the time, CEO Tim Cook credited the strong performance to the popularity of the iPhone 17 lineup among Chinese customers.
China remains one of Apple’s most strategically important markets, serving as both a major source of revenue and a key manufacturing hub. The company has faced increased competition from domestic smartphone makers in recent years, making any improvement in iPhone demand particularly significant.
Apple could receive another boost in the coming months as it prepares to expand Apple Intelligence into additional markets. The company’s AI features have yet to launch in China because of local regulatory requirements, but reports suggest progress is being made toward a future release.
Apple is expected to provide further insight into its performance in China when executives discuss the company’s latest financial results during today’s quarterly earnings call.