Major Tech Events in Early 2025: Apple, Huawei, OPPO, vivo, and Xiaomi Vie for Market Share

Major Tech Events in Early 2025: Apple, Huawei, OPPO, vivo, and Xiaomi Vie for Market ShareThe last week of 2024 and the first week of 2025 saw a flurry of significant events in China's tech sector, each sparking widespread industry discussion. From Apple's unprecedented price cuts on the iPhone 16 series to Huawei's continued dominance of domestic phone sales, and the new product launches and adjusted market strategies of OPPO, vivo, and Xiaomi, the competition among major manufacturers was intense

Major Tech Events in Early 2025: Apple, Huawei, OPPO, vivo, and Xiaomi Vie for Market Share

The last week of 2024 and the first week of 2025 saw a flurry of significant events in China's tech sector, each sparking widespread industry discussion. From Apple's unprecedented price cuts on the iPhone 16 series to Huawei's continued dominance of domestic phone sales, and the new product launches and adjusted market strategies of OPPO, vivo, and Xiaomi, the competition among major manufacturers was intense.

Apple: iPhone 16 Series "Dive" Promotion Fuels Sales Rebound

At the start of the new year, Apple launched a price reduction campaign for its entire iPhone 16 lineup on its official website, making it the fastest-ever price drop for an iPhone series. Previously, price reductions were typically led by third-party platforms. This official, substantial price cut was followed by similar, albeit slightly less aggressive, promotions from major third-party platforms, with discounts averaging around 1,000 yuan. Combined with platform subsidies, the iPhone 16 series reached its lowest price point ever.

This unprecedented pricing strategy directly boosted iPhone 16 sales in the Chinese market. Apple's overall sales surged into the top three in the domestic market last week, demonstrating strong market appeal and laying a solid foundation for gaining market share at the start of the year.

Huawei: Continued Strong Sales of Mate70 Series, Leading Domestic Sales Charts

Since the official launch of the Huawei Mate70 series, Huawei has consistently topped the weekly domestic sales charts, establishing itself as the undisputed market leader. In the week of its launch, Huawei's domestic market share even exceeded 25%, showcasing strong product competitiveness and brand influence. While market share has slightly decreased, it remains stable at around 20%. Industry analysts predict Huawei is highly likely to secure the top spot in domestic market share in Q4 2024.

Noteworthy is that the Mate70 series' success isn't limited to its own sales; it's driven growth in other Huawei models. For example, the Huawei nova 13 has been the top-selling Android phone for two consecutive weeks, and the Huawei Mate60 series remains one of the most popular flagship models in China. With the upcoming Lunar New Year, Huawei phones are expected to maintain their strong sales momentum as a preferred choice for many consumers.

OPPO: Find X Series "Universe" Revealed, Building a High-End Product Matrix

Last week, OPPO revealed several upcoming models, including the Find X8 mini, Find X8s series, and Find N5. Industry insiders interpret this as OPPO building a "universe" around the Find X series, encompassing both straight and foldable phones, potentially exceeding six models. OPPO has begun subtly promoting the flagship Find X8 Ultra, featuring a dedicated camera button and potentially a unique Hasselblad color scheme, according to product managers. The Find N5 is also being promoted; it may become the first and only all-around foldable phone based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in the first half of 2025, further solidifying OPPO's position in the high-end market.

vivo: X200s Series Revealed, with Design and Hardware Upgrades

According to the well-known digital blogger "Digital Chat Station," the vivo X200s series will be powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ processor and feature a significantly redesigned rear camera module, making it appear slimmer. Further hardware upgrades are expected, including ultrasonic fingerprint recognition and wireless fast charging. However, the specific launch timeline depends on the commercial availability of the Dimensity 9400+ processor.

Xiaomi: Multiple New Product Launches and Strong Sales, Steady Progress in Automotive Business

Xiaomi was a focal point last week with numerous activities. The Redmi Turbo 4 was officially launched, becoming the first new smartphone officially released and commercially available in 2025. Its first-day sales were 220% higher year-on-year, showcasing the success of Xiaomi's new product strategy and leading to promotions for Xiaomi's market department and Redmi's co-general manager, Wang Teng.

Simultaneously, a new Xiaomi phone priced at just 499 yuan sparked widespread online discussion and strong sales. The Xiaomi SU7 in its new "Brilliant Crimson" New Year limited edition also launched successfully, with over 12,000 units pre-ordered last week. Xiaomi also launched a safe driving challenge, and Lei Jun personally announced that the Xiaomi auto factory would open to the public with pre-booked visits. The Xiaomi SU7 achieved 135,000 annual deliveries, with a target of 300,000 deliveries in 2025.

In summary, the beginning of 2025 has witnessed intense competition in China's tech sector, with manufacturers actively deploying strategies, launching new products, and vying for market share. Apple's pricing strategy, Huawei's continued leadership, OPPO and vivo's high-end focus, and Xiaomi's diversified development together create a vibrant and competitive market landscape. The future direction of the market remains to be seen.