Recently, a tech blogger shared the sales share rankings for the domestic smartphone market over Weeks 37 and 38.

As illustrated in the chart below, during Week 37 (September 7th to September 13th), Huawei claimed the top spot, followed by Xiaomi, with market shares of 27% and 14.2%, respectively. VIVO, OPPO, and Honor trailed behind, while Apple ranked sixth.

However, by Week 38 (September 14th to September 20th), following the release of Apple's iPhone 18 Pro, the smartphone market landscape experienced a significant shake-up.

The overall market witnessed a 10% surge, and Apple skyrocketed to the forefront, capturing a substantial 31.3% share. This marked an approximate 150% increase from the previous week, effectively more than doubling its market presence.

Consequently, Huawei's share dropped to 19%, and Xiaomi's to 12.2%. The remaining three brands—VIVO, Honor, and OPPO—clustered around the 11-12% range, with negligible differences among them.

Doesn't this market share distribution seem a bit surprising?

After all, the iPhone 18 Pro only hit the shelves on September 18th, meaning it clinched the top spot after just three days of sales, outpacing established brands like Huawei and Xiaomi. Had it been available for a longer period, its share would likely have been even higher.

Initially, the unveiling of Apple's iPhone 18 Pro was met with widespread criticism. Detractors argued that it lacked innovation, offered only incremental upgrades, and came with a hefty 1,000 yuan price increase. They claimed its camera couldn't match Huawei's, and its performance fell short of Xiaomi's.

Yet, despite the initial backlash, the iPhone 18 Pro swiftly surpassed competitors like Huawei and Xiaomi upon its release, securing the top position.

In fact, this scenario seems to replay with every new Apple phone release over the years. There's a barrage of criticism, with people vowing not to buy Apple products, citing a lack of innovation, exorbitant prices, and various shortcomings.

However, as soon as the new iPhone hits the market, Apple's sales soar to the top. People may say they won't buy it, but their purchasing behavior tells a different story—they flock to buy it in droves, propelling Apple to the pinnacle of the market.

Looking ahead, the competition is set to intensify. The Xiaomi 18 Pro series has already been launched, and Huawei's Mate 90 series is on the verge of release, along with flagship offerings from Honor. The battle for market supremacy will be even fiercer, making it difficult to predict the outcome. Nevertheless, I believe Apple will maintain its leading position for an extended period. Barring any unforeseen developments, Apple is poised to dominate the entire fourth quarter.

It's important to note that the data presented in this article is sourced from bloggers and is based on third-party Sell Out statistics, rather than official brand data. It serves as an industry reference and may not be entirely precise. Please interpret it accordingly.