Foreign branded phone shipments in China more than double, market share jumps

Shipments of foreign branded mobile phones in China more than doubled in November, rising to 6.93 million units, government affiliated data released on Dec. 25 by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology showed. That figure represented a 128.4 percent year on year increase, Reuters calculations based on the CAICT release found.

Total mobile phone shipments in China in November stood at 30.16 million units, up 1.9 percent year on year, according to the same data. Foreign branded models therefore accounted for roughly 23.0 percent of November shipments, a sharp increase in share within an otherwise subdued market.

The CAICT, which is described in the release as a government affiliated research firm, identified Apple's iPhone among the foreign branded phones contributing to the surge. The published excerpts do not provide a full brand by brand breakdown, nor do they detail regional distribution or sales channels, leaving open questions about which models and price tiers drove the jump.

The scale of the foreign branded rebound is notable against the backdrop of a Chinese smartphone industry that has experienced intense competition on price and features in recent years. A near tripling of foreign branded shipments year on year signals stronger demand for imported flagship models during the late year buying season. The change is likely to influence pricing, promotion strategies, and inventory planning among domestic manufacturers that have dominated unit sales in recent quarters.

Policy and market watchers will also scrutinize what the data means for supply chain flows and geopolitical tensions surrounding technology. In a related comment included in the same dispatch, a commerce ministry spokesperson said, "The Chinese government would like to see companies reach solutions that comply with Chinese laws and regulations and balance the interests of all parties," when asked about the handover of TikTok’s U.S. operations. The remark underscores how commercial trends in consumer electronics can intersect with broader regulatory and diplomatic considerations.

The CAICT numbers and Reuters calculations have been republished verbatim across multiple outlets, reflecting consistency in the available figures. However, the snapshot leaves crucial gaps for investors and competitors seeking to parse momentum by brand, channel, or price segment. Deeper clarity will require the CAICT’s full dataset or company level shipment disclosures and retail sales data from major Chinese channels.

For now, the November surge is a clear signal that foreign branded phones, led in part by iPhone shipments, have reclaimed a meaningful slice of China’s handset market as the year draws to a close. The trajectory into 2026 will determine whether this represents a sustained shift or a seasonal rebound.