Apple grew iPhone shipments in China by 24.4 percent year over year in the second quarter of 2026, making it the fastest-growing smartphone brand in a market that shrank overall, according to preliminary figures released today by research firm IDC.Total shipments in China fell 4.3 percent to roughly 66 million units, amounting to a fifth consecutive quarter of decline. Apple and Huawei were the only major vendors to grow, with Huawei up 19.4 percent. Apple's share of the Chinese market rose from 13.9 percent to 18.1 percent year over year, which was second only to Huawei's 22.6 percent. Meanwhile, Xiaomi…