Apple no longer one of China’s top five smartphone vendors, holding just 8% marketshare in the world’s largest smartphone market

Apple is no longer among the top five smartphone vendors by marketshare in China, according to a new Canalys report.

As SmartCompany reported in May, China has overtaken the US as the world’s largest market for smartphones. The country accounts for 50 million smartphone sales a quarter, representing more than a quarter of the 181.1 million smartphones sold worldwide during the third quarter of 2012.

The figures, republished by PC World, show that Samsung has retained its position as China’s largest smartphone vendor with around 14% of shipments, although this marketshare owes more to the Korean electronics giant’s lower-end smartphones than the Galaxy S3.

Close behind in second spot is Lenovo, which is best known outside China as a PC and laptop manufacturer, claiming 13% of China’s smartphone market.

A newcomer in third place is low-cost electronics maker Yulong Computer Telecommunication Scientific, which sells its smartphones under the Coolpad brand. Yulong, which sells low-end smartphones for less than $100 outright, has grown to claim around 10% of the market.

ZTE and Huawei round out the top five manufacturers, with approximately 10% marketshare each.

In contrast, Apple has fallen to about sixth spot in the Chinese market, claiming just 8% marketshare.