Analysis firm Canalys released its latest report on China’s smartphone market for the first quarter of 2024. And Apple came out on top among the top five brands vying for supremacy in Asia’s largest economy.
Huawei returned to first place after 13 quarters with a 17% market share. The local manufacturer shipped 11.7 million smartphones, thanks to its popular Mate and Nova series.
Oppo rose to second place with a strong performance from its Reno 11 series, shipping 10.9 million units. On the other hand, Honor, Vivo and Apple slowed their sales in the quarter, occupying, respectively, third, fourth and fifth place.
Honor shipped 10.6 million units with a share of 16%, a year-over-year increase of 9%. Vivo shipped 10.3 million units with a share of 15%, a decrease of 9% compared to figures a year ago.
Apple recorded the biggest drop among the top five brands
Apple recorded the biggest drop among the top five brands. It sank into fifth place from first place, with 10 million units and a 15% share. Which represents a year-over-year decrease of 25%.
Huawei’s performance increased by 70% compared to the previous year, when the company was still reorganizing its smartphone business in the wake of US sanctions. The brand has meanwhile launched its new Pure line of smartphones and has been busy developing its own operating system, HarmonyOS.
The latest data may not be pleasant to read for Apple CEO Tim Cook after his trip to China for the opening of a new store in Shanghai. During his visit, which followed a strong fourth quarter in China, Cook announced the expansion of Apple’s research and development center in the city.
Apple is deepening its ties with China despite expanding production in Southeast Asia and India. Approximately 17% of Apple’s net sales from October to December came from this region. But the company now faces challenges in reversing the drop in iPhone sales in the country, with a 24% decrease compared to the same period in 2023.
