iPhone sales in China continue to fall: Apple slips to fifth place

Apple is having a tough time in the Chinese market. According to research firm IDC, iPhone shipments in China fell 9% in the first quarter of 2025, year-on-year. What’s more, Apple was the only company among all the major manufacturers to show a decline in sales.

Apple is now only the fifth-largest smartphone maker in China. The company shipped 9.8 million devices during the quarter, giving it a market share of 13.7% – down from 17.4% in the previous quarter.

This is the seventh consecutive quarter that iPhone shipments have declined. If the trend continues, Apple will face two full years of falling sales in the region.

In the meantime, Xiaomi has seen impressive growth, with its shipments up 40% to 13.3 million units in the quarter. Overall, the market grew by 3.3%.

IDC analyst Will Wong said the high prices of Apple devices have prevented the company from taking advantage of a government subsidy program that took effect in January. That program gives consumers a 15% rebate when they buy smartphones and electronics costing up to 6,000 yuan (about $820).

Additional pressure on Apple comes from the situation in the United States. After President Trump announced a sharp increase in duties on imports from China, the company had to act quickly. Apple CEO Tim Cook is rumored to have managed to negotiate partial relief with administration officials, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

As a result, some electronic devices made in China were exempted from the new duties, a major victory for Apple, HP and Dell. The decision helped curb price hikes that could have exceeded $2,000 for top-of-the-line iPhone models.