Huawei and Honor phones are increasingly pressuring Apple in the sales race, and the latest data indicate that the iPhone 17 models in 2026 will face serious competition from Chinese manufacturers for the first time. According to a report from a trusted tipster, this “new phase of the smartphone war” already has concrete numbers to back it up.
The well-known source SmartChipInsider published a list of five phones that during the first six weeks of 2026 were delivered in more than one million units on the Chinese market. The list includes devices from only three brands: Apple, Huawei and Honor. Although Apple still holds the first three places, the remaining two positions are occupied by Chinese manufacturers.
At the very top of the list is the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which has surpassed one million units shipped as a single model. The second place is taken by the standard iPhone 17, while the iPhone 17 Pro is in the third position. These three models have had a strong start to sales thanks to new designs and improved features, but dominance is no longer absolute.
Huawei, Honor and iPhone 17 – a collision of strategies on the market
Huawei Mate 80 and Honor X70 were also in the top five best-selling phones at the beginning of 2026. Huawei Mate 80 attracted a lot of attention due to its aggressive price compared to the offered specifications. The model offers a Kirin 9020 5G chip with about 42% better performance compared to the previous generation, as well as design elements that place it in a higher class, despite the significantly lower price compared to Apple competition.
The Honor X70 represents an even clearer example of changing consumer priorities. This model made its way to the best sellers thanks to the extremely large battery of 8300 mAh, larger even than the one in the Magic 8 Pro model. This shows that part of the customers increasingly give preference to long autonomy and an affordable price, instead of exclusively top technological novelties.
The Honor X70 has been on the market since the first half of 2025 and, according to available data, continues to record stable demand, even compared to newer Honor models. However, as it is only the beginning of 2026, the real strength of these models will become clearer after the results for the first quarter.
These data clearly indicate that the iPhone 17 series is no longer without serious competition, at least in the Chinese market. Huawei and Honor show that the combination of price, practical features and strong enough performance can threaten even Apple in one of its most important sales regions, reports HC Newsroom.