This drop in sales caused Apple to fall to third place in the Chinese market, behind Huawei.

Huawei experienced a significant increase in sales, with a 69.7% growth in the first quarter.

Despite US sanctions that nearly eliminated Huawei's global smartphone business, the Shenzhen-based company has continued to thrive in China and is now the fourth-largest smartphone maker in the country.

In the first quarter of 2024, China's smartphone market grew by 1.5% year-on-year, marking the second consecutive quarter of growth.

Vivo was the leading smartphone vendor with a 17.4% market share, thanks to the success of the Y35 Plus, Y36, and S18 models in the low-end and mid-end segments.

Honor came in second place with a 16.1% share.

Apple ranked third with a 15.7% share, but sales were down due to increased competition from Huawei in the premium segment and decreased replacement demand compared to previous years.

Apple is experiencing a sales drop in China, its third-largest market, due to retaliation from Chinese companies and government entities over US restrictions on Chinese apps.

Analysts predict further pressure on Apple's sales in China in 2024.

The research firm IDC has warned that Apple's presence in China has been weakened by strong competition and limited product upgrades from Apple, making iPhones less appealing to consumers.