Vivo Surpasses Huawei to Become Folding Screen Market Leader, Why is Xiaomi's Folding Screen Phone Sales Lagging Behind?

Vivo Surpasses Huawei to Become Folding Screen Market Leader, Why is Xiaomi's Folding Screen Phone Sales Lagging Behind?With Yu Chengdong constantly teasing the release of a tri-folding screen phone, the topic of folding screen phones has become more prevalent. However, the development of folding screen phones in China is incredibly uneven

Vivo Surpasses Huawei to Become Folding Screen Market Leader, Why is Xiaomi's Folding Screen Phone Sales Lagging Behind?

With Yu Chengdong constantly teasing the release of a tri-folding screen phone, the topic of folding screen phones has become more prevalent. However, the development of folding screen phones in China is incredibly uneven. Sometimes, brands need new models to bolster sales, and while Huawei remains stable domestically, other brands see significantly fluctuating market shares.

Consider the analysis of China's folding screen phone market in the second quarter of 2024 released by CINNOResearch. The report indicates that domestic sales of folding screen phones reached 2.62 million units in the second quarter, representing a year-on-year increase of 125% and a quarter-on-quarter increase of 11%. This marks the fourth consecutive quarter of triple-digit growth in China's folding screen phone market.

Here's a closer look at the rankings:

• Champion: Huawei, with a market share of 25.2%, achieving approximately 920,000 units sold.

• Runner-up: Vivo, holding a market share of 31.9%, selling roughly 840,000 units.

• Third Place: OPPO, with an 11.1% market share, selling about 290,000 units.

• Fourth: Honor, claiming a 10.4% market share, selling approximately 270,000 units.

• Fifth: Samsung, holding a 5.7% market share, selling 150,000 units.

• Sixth: Xiaomi, with a market share of 2.8%, selling approximately 73,000 units.

The analysis also highlights three notable characteristics of folding screen phones in the second quarter of 2024:

• Characteristic One: Folding screen phones equipped with AI technology experienced a significant increase in market share, reaching 42% overall, representing a year-on-year growth of 42% and a quarter-on-quarter growth of 10%. AI is poised to become a standard feature in future folding screen phones.

• Characteristic Two: The thickness of the devices has noticeably decreased. This quarter, folding screen phones with a thickness under 12mm accounted for 70% of the market. This trend is expected to continue.

• Characteristic Three: Weight has also seen a significant reduction. The average weight of folding screen phones in this quarter was 204 grams, a substantial 28% decrease compared to the 282 grams recorded in 2020.

Furthermore, it's clear that Huawei no longer reigns supreme in China's folding screen phone market. Vivo has been exceptionally impressive this quarter, primarily due to the strong sales of the Vivo XFold3 series. Compared to other brands, Xiaomi is the only one that needs to catch up. However, it's worth noting that Xiaomi has a limited selection of folding screen phones, and the models currently available were launched earlier, naturally impacting sales. We'll have to wait and see how Xiaomi performs in the third quarter.

Looking at market share, Vivo has surpassed Huawei to become the leader in China's folding screen phone market. The strong sales of the Vivo XFold3 series are undoubtedly the main driver behind this growth. The series has garnered significant attention for its advancements in design, performance, and battery life.

While Huawei currently lags behind Vivo in terms of market share, the brand still holds immense brand influence and technical prowess. The release of devices like the Huawei Mate Xs3 demonstrates its continued competitiveness in the folding screen phone arena.

OPPO and Honor closely follow, securing their own market share thanks to their product advantages. The OPPO Find N2 series and Honor Magic Vs2 series have earned user recognition for their exceptional screen quality and folding experience.

Samsung, a veteran in the folding screen phone market, consistently delivers top-notch product quality and technological advancements. However, its competitive edge in the Chinese market is relatively weak, resulting in a lower market share.

Xiaomi's performance in the folding screen phone market is relatively lagging, with a market share of only 2.8%. This is primarily attributed to the limited selection of Xiaomi folding screen phones and the relatively older launch dates of its available models, leading to insufficient market competitiveness. However, Xiaomi is not without opportunity. With the launch of new products like the Xiaomi MIX Fold 3, Xiaomi has the potential to achieve sales growth in the third quarter.

The competition in the folding screen phone market is becoming increasingly fierce, with brands constantly investing in research and development to release more competitive products. The future of folding screen phones looks promising, and they are poised to become a significant part of the smartphone market.