The Chinese smartphone market showed signs of recovery in the second quarter of 2024, recording an 8.9% year-on-year growth and reaching 71.6 million units shipped. This positive result, the third consecutive quarter of growth, led to a total of 140.8 million units shipped in the first half of 2024, an increase of 7.7% compared to the same period of the previous year.
The market recovery was mainly driven by Chinese manufacturers, especially Vivo, Huawei, and Xiaomi, which posted double-digit growth. This strong performance allowed local manufacturers to dominate the top five rankings, pushing Apple to sixth place after nearly four years. Although promotions helped boost iPhone demand in Q2 2024, Apple still saw a 3.1% year-on-year decline, while the overall Android market grew by 11.1%.
Vivo took first place in the second quarter, thanks to the success of its new products in the mid- and low-end segment. However, considering the entire first half, Huawei remains the market leader, despite the trade restrictions imposed by the United States. The Chinese giant is also catching up with Apple in the high-end smartphone segment (over $600).
Smartphones Shipped to China and Market Growth in the Last 12 Months
The trend toward premiumization is also gaining traction in China, with consumers tending to use their devices longer. This has led to a rise in the market share of high-end smartphones, which reached 26% in the second quarter. However, the slower-than-expected economic recovery has pushed some consumers toward cheaper smartphones, creating an emerging opportunity in the used phone market.
The Chinese smartphone market is showing signs of recovery, driven by the growth of local manufacturers and demand for high-end devices. However, economic uncertainty and growing consumer awareness about prices could affect the market’s evolution in the coming months.
Top 5 Companies by Units Shipped to China: Market Share and YoY Growth to Q2 2024
It remains to be seen whether Chinese manufacturers can maintain their momentum and whether Apple can regain market share in the premium segment. The used market could also represent an interesting growth opportunity for the sector.
The most interesting element of this ranking, however, is represented by the different relevance in China of companies such as Apple and Samsung, which instead dominate the global market.
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