Apple beats Xiaomi, takes the top spot for Chinese smartphone shipments in Q4

If you’ve been wondering how the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were received in China, wonder no longer. On the back of those new handsets, Apple has grabbed the number one spot in China’s smartphone market for the fourth quarter of 2014. According to Canalys, which says it will release a more detailed report next week, Apple’s high-cost handsets beat out lower-priced local competition like Xiaomi by shipping more units than any other brand in Q4 2014.

Xiaomi did take second place on the list, followed by Samsung and then Huawei.

Taking first is an impressive achievement for Apple, especially considering that half a year ago it wasn’t even in the top five. Of course, the company’s sales do tend to surge when new handsets are released. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were released in China just before the start of the fourth quarter, which likely helped bolster the company’s strong Q4 numbers.

Taking first in units shipped is not Apple’s only achievement in the Chinese market during the final quarter of last year, either. The company also set an internal record for most smartphones sold, and saw China buy more iPhones than the US for the first time ever.

See: Apple will open 5 new stores in China before Chinese New Year

(Source: Canalys)