Huawei’s China smartphone sales in August beat Apple for first time in 46 months: report

Smartphone sales of Huawei Technologies on the mainland surpassed those of Apple in August – the first time in 46 months, according to a new report by research firm CINNO – as the US-sanctioned company continues to ride on the success of its 5G handset comeback last year.

That aligned with findings from government think tank China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, which reported a 12.7 per cent year-on-year decline in foreign smartphone shipments, including Apple’s iPhone, in the same month. Those shipments fell to 1.87 million units in August, from 2.14 million a year earlier, as domestic smartphone shipments rose 26.7 per cent to 24.05 million during the same period.

Competition between Huawei and Apple in the world’s biggest smartphone market has taken on new significance, as the Shenzhen-based telecommunications equipment giant has seen a revival of its handset business amid the US tech giant’s recent struggles on the mainland.

Strong demand for Huawei’s high-end handset models, such as the Mate and Pura series, as well as foldable smartphones like the recently launched Mate XT, helped lift the firm’s average selling price and wholesale revenue to record highs in the second quarter, according to TechInsights. It said China remains Huawei’s core market, accounting for 89 per cent of its global smartphone shipments.