Apple Takes Top Position in China Smartphone Market in 2023: Report |

Apple has taken its top selling position in the Chinese smartphone market for the first time this year. In the latest quarter (Q4 2023), the Cupertino-based tech giant shipped 17.5 million units of iPhones in China. According to a report by Canalys, Apple’s shipments increased by 6% year-on-year with an adequate supply of the new iPhone 15 series. The report also claims that the decline in the country’s smartphone market was also further reduced to 1% as the total shipments in the country reached 73.9 million units.

How other brands performed in Q4 2023

Apple was followed closely by Honor with a 16% market share and shipped 11.7 million units in Q4 2023. Vivo rose to third place as the company shipped 11.3 million units in its domestic country. Huawei also made into the top five as the company saw 47% year-on-year increase due to its flagship new products. The company ranked fourth as it shipped 10.4 million units. Xiaomi maintained the fifth position as it shipped 9.5 million units. The company’s sales were driven by the company’s latest Xiaomi 14 series.
The iPhone maker saw a slight year-on-year increase of 1% as its annual market share increased further to 19%. Meanwhile, Vivo, Oppo and Honor competed closely, each capturing a 16% market share. The annual shipments of these brands were 44.5 million, 43.9 million and 43.6 million units, respectively. Xiaomi held fifth place in the annual market with a 13% market share. Huawei, ranking sixth, saw its full-year market share jump from 8% in 2022 to 12% in 2023, with a year-on-year increase of 48%.

What the analyst had to say

Lucas Zhong, research analyst at Canalys said, “Huawei has become the biggest dark horse this quarter, returning to the top five league table of Mainland China’s smartphone market after 10 quarters. The Mate 60 Pro, with its in-house Kirin chip and innovative features such as satellite calling, has become the leading model driving Huawei’s shipment recovery. In addition, from January 2024, Huawei has extended the Kirin chip to the Nova series, which will also help to drive more demand in the mid-end market in the future. The enthusiasm of the Chinese market for Huawei’s new products reflects the local consumers’ demand for software and hardware innovation. Other local vendors are also building their brand stronghold by accelerating the iteration of new flagship products and unveiling their latest AI developments. The competitive landscape of Mainland China’s high-end market will further be vitalized under Huawei’s influence, which will prompt global players to accelerate their disruptive innovation strategy in the region.”
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