Chinese smartphone brands, including Vivo and Huawei, have surpassed Apple in market share within China for the April-June quarter, according to research from IDC and Canalys, NikkieAsia reports.
Vivo secured the top position with an 18.5% market share, followed by Huawei at 18%, with Huawei’s shipments increasing over 50% year-on-year. Oppo, Honor, and Xiaomi rounded out the top five, with Xiaomi’s shipments rising 16.5%. This shift highlights the mounting competition Apple faces in a market contributing to 18% of its revenue.
Apple’s iPhone shipments declined by 3.3% year-on-year, despite promotional efforts. Canalys also confirmed Apple’s drop to sixth place, noting a 2% decrease in shipments. Conversely, Huawei’s shipments surged over 40%, reflecting its significant market recovery amid U.S. trade restrictions. The April-June quarter typically sees lower Apple sales as consumers anticipate new models, with the upcoming iPhones featuring generative AI.
The increased competition has been partly driven by Huawei’s resurgence, leveraging its own mobile processor in its Mate 60 Pro. Apple is navigating U.S.-China tensions while preparing for its September iPhone launch and aiming to diversify its supply chain. Recently, Apple’s COO Jeff Williams visited China to strengthen ties with local suppliers and inspected Foxconn’s manufacturing facilities.
According to Lucas Zhong, an analyst at Canalys, this is the first time all top five smartphone brands in China are local. He noted that Chinese manufacturers’ focus on high-end products and strong local supply chain collaborations are yielding results. Meanwhile, Apple’s success in China will hinge on the localization of its generative AI services in the coming year.
