Huawei achieved a significant milestone when its smartphone sales surpassed Apple’s in August, the first time in 46 months that this has occurred, according to research firm CINNO.

Huawei’s 5G handset segment has gained traction due to heightened consumer demand for high-speed connectivity over the past year.

The China Academy of Information and Communications Technology reported a 12.7% year-on-year decline in foreign smartphone shipments in August, including a drop in Apple’s iPhone shipments from 2.14 million units in August 2023 to 1.87 million in August 2024.

In contrast, domestic smartphone shipments surged, increasing 26.7% to 24.05 million units during the same period.

The competitive landscape between Huawei and Apple has sharpened, spurred by Huawei’s offerings, including the Mate and Pura series.

The newly launched Mate XT foldable smartphone has driven up both Huawei’s average selling price and total revenue.

Huawei’s domestic market remains robust, capturing a 17.5% market share in the first half of this year.

Meanwhile, Pro models of Apple’s iPhone fell short, which removed the company from the top five smartphone vendors in mainland China.

Apple’s share has dwindled to below 14%, coupled with a drop in revenue from the Greater China region, which decreased 6.5% year-on-year to US$14.73 billion in the June quarter.