Apple and Huawei Compete in China's Smartphone Market
Sales of Apple's flagship iPhone dipped by 0.3% in the third quarter in China, while rival Huawei's devices spiked by 42%, underlining the fierce competition in the world’s biggest smartphone market.
Huawei holds the third-largest market share in the country at 15.3%, just behind Apple (15.6%). According to recent data from IDC, budget phone retailer Vivo leads with 18.6% market share.
In recent months, Huawei has focused on introducing premium offerings, including the Mate 60 Pro smartphone powered by a domestically-produced chip and the high-end Pura 70 model. Meanwhile, Apple has reduced its phone prices to boost sales, facing scrutiny after reports indicated that government officials were advised against using iPhones for work.
Despite these challenges, demand for Apple's iPhone 16, launched the same day as Huawei's tri-foldable phone, has been robust. Sales surged by 20% in the first three weeks compared to Apple's 2023 model, helping Apple return to the top five smartphone companies in China.
Overall smartphone sales in China rose by 3.2% to 68.78 million units, highlighting a recovery fueled by device upgrades. Arthur Guo, a senior IDC analyst, stated, "A significant wave of device upgrades is propelling the sustained recovery of the Chinese smartphone market." Consumers, driven by three years of pent-up demand, remain optimistic despite economic challenges.
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