Chinese smartphone shipments got walloped in May—down nearly 22% year-on-year—thanks largely to soft Android sales. Those devices slid to about 18 million units, their weakest month in a year.
The iPhone didn't escape unscathed, dipping around 10% to 4.5 million, but it staged a solid 29% bounce from April as Apple (AAPL, Financial) geared up for the big 618 shopping push.
What's really striking is how Apple's holding its own against non-local rivals. During the 618 festival, Huawei volumes jumped over 20%, but the rest of the Android crowd slipped about 4%.
And while Android makers are wrestling with bloated inventories, Apple's stock levels look just right—helping it maintain roughly 70% of the non-China branded smartphone market.
In a market this sluggish, that kind of premium positioning and balanced supply could let Apple steady the ship and even snatch a bit more share as local brands chase volume with deep discounts.
