Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) smartphone shipments in China surged by 52% in April compared to the previous year, continuing the rebound observed in the previous month, according to Reuters, citing the data from a Chinese government-affiliated research firm.
Apple stock rose 2.2% on the news.
The China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) reported that shipments of foreign-branded phones in China rose by 52% in April, reaching 3.495 million units, up from 2.301 million units a year earlier.
While the data did not specifically name Apple, the company is the leading foreign phone maker in China's smartphone market, suggesting that the marked increase in foreign-branded shipments is largely due to Apple's performance.
The significant rise comes after a weak start to the year in the world's largest smartphone market, where Apple faces growing competition from local high-end rivals like Huawei.
In March, Apple's shipments in China increased by 12%, a notable recovery from the first two months of 2024, during which the company saw a 37% drop in sales.
The sales momentum may continue in May, driven by Apple's aggressive discounting campaign on its official Tmall site in China, offering discounts of up to 2,300 yuan ($318) on select iPhone models.
This price cut, twice as large as the discount offered in February, follows Huawei's introduction of its new high-end smartphone series, the Pura 70, last month, and the launch of the Mate 60 in August.