05:51 AM EDT, 03/19/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Apple's ( AAPL ) China smartphone sales increased 23% in the first nine weeks of the year, even as overall sales decreased 4% year over year, according to Counterpoint Research's China Weekly Smartphone Sell-Out Tracker.

The sales decline came despite government subsidies for new phones that were offset by increasing memory chip prices, Counterpoint said Thursday.

Apple's ( AAPL ) increased sales were supported by e-commerce discounts, the report said.

"With its strong control over the supply chain, Apple ( AAPL ) is well-positioned to weather the current memory crisis," the report said.