In the fourth quarter of 2024, vivo emerged as the dominant player in China’s smartphone market, shipping 13.2 million units, securing a 17.6% market share, and experiencing a 14.8% increase in shipments year-on-year (YoY).
Apple’s Decline
In second place, Apple shipped 13 million units, marking a 7.1% YoY decrease, with its market share dipping slightly to 17.3%.
The decline in Apple’s shipments comes as a major shift in the market, with Huawei closing the gap.
Huawei’s Rise
Huawei, ranked third with 12.7 million units shipped in Q4, experienced a 14.4% YoY growth and now holds a 16.9% market share, almost surpassing Apple’s share.
Other Players
Xiaomi saw the largest growth among major brands, with a 29.5% increase, shipping 12.3 million units and securing 16.4% of the market.
Oppo and Honor both shipped 10.5 million units, but Oppo grew by 7.1%, while Honor saw a 13.2% decline.
The overall market for Q4 2024 grew by 5.3% YoY, with total shipments reaching 75 million smartphones.
For the full year 2024, 271.4 million smartphones were shipped in China, marking a 3.7% increase compared to the previous year.
The introduction of smartphone subsidies is expected to sustain this growth in 2025.
Key Takeaway:
vivo’s continued dominance, alongside the steady rise of Huawei, is challenging Apple’s position in the Chinese smartphone market, and it seems likely that these shifts will continue into 2025.