iPhone Sales in China: Q3 2024 Overview

BEIJING (Reuters) – Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone sales in China experienced a slight decline of 0.3% in the third quarter of 2024. In contrast, rival Huawei witnessed a remarkable 42% surge in sales, highlighting the intensifying competition in the world’s largest smartphone market.

Market Share Analysis

According to data from researcher IDC, Apple ranked second with a 15.6% market share, down 0.5 percentage points year-on-year. Huawei claimed the third position with a market share of 15.3%, marking an increase of 4.2 percentage points.

Vivo, primarily known for its budget-friendly phones, retained the top vendor spot with an 18.6% market share.

Huawei's Comeback

Huawei's recent success follows its resurgence in the premium smartphone segment with the Mate 60 series, which reportedly features a domestically produced chip. Additionally, Huawei's Pura 70 model, released earlier this year, further challenged Apple's market position.

Challenges for Apple

Apple has faced headwinds in China, including restrictions on iPhone use by certain government agencies. In response, the U.S. tech giant has launched multiple discount campaigns to stimulate sales.

The introduction of the iPhone 16, which went on sale on September 20, contributed to the company's performance. On the same day, Huawei launched a competing tri-foldable phone.

Sales Performance

Initial sales of the new iPhones in China were promising, boasting a 20% increase in sales during the first three weeks post-launch compared to the 2023 models, according to data from Counterpoint.

IDC noted, "With its annual new product launch, Apple returned to China's top five market rankings with a 15.6% market share."

It is anticipated that market demand for the iPhone 16 series will continue to grow due to increased market promotions and the launch of Apple Vision Pro.

Overall, China's smartphone sales in the third quarter saw a 3.2% rise, culminating in 68.78 million units sold.