Apple Had Better Watch Its Back in China

Signals are lastly getting stronger for the worldwide smartphone market. Chinese handset makers like Huawei, which had been locked out of the race by U.S. sanctions, are dialing again in.

That provides as much as a tough outlook for Apple in China, its second-largest income area after North America. Huawei’s Chinese rival Xiaomi, which reported third-quarter outcomes Monday, can also be making a renewed push within the premium phase—Apple’s bread and butter.