China's Smartphone Market Q4 2024 Report: Apple's Surprise Victory Amidst Domestic Brand Growth

China's Smartphone Market Q4 2024 Report: Apple's Surprise Victory Amidst Domestic Brand GrowthOn January 16, 2024, Canalys, a leading market research firm, released its report on China's domestic smartphone market for the fourth quarter of 2024. The report showed a total shipment volume of 77

China's Smartphone Market Q4 2024 Report: Apple's Surprise Victory Amidst Domestic Brand Growth

On January 16, 2024, Canalys, a leading market research firm, released its report on China's domestic smartphone market for the fourth quarter of 2024. The report showed a total shipment volume of 77.4 million units, representing a 5% year-on-year increase. Surprisingly, Apple secured the top spot with 13.1 million units shipped, achieving a 17% market share, despite a 25% year-on-year decline. This contrasts sharply with the robust growth experienced by domestic Chinese brands.

The report detailed the top five brands in China's domestic smartphone market for Q4 2024:

1st Place: Apple

• Shipments: 13.1 million units

• Market Share: 17%

• YoY Growth: -25%

Apple unexpectedly claimed the top spot in China's smartphone market in Q4 2024, shipping 13.1 million units for a 17% market share. However, this victory was tempered by a significant 25% year-on-year decline, contrasting with the strong growth of domestic brands. This data indicates increasing competitive pressure on Apple in the Chinese market and a challenge to its market share.

2nd Place (Tie): vivo

• Shipments: 12.9 million units

• Market Share: 17%

• YoY Growth: 14%

vivo secured second place with 12.9 million units shipped, achieving the same 17% market share as Apple. Unlike Apple, vivo experienced a 14% year-on-year growth, demonstrating its strong competitiveness in the domestic market. The tie with Huawei, matching in both shipment volume and market share, highlights the robust growth of domestic brands.

2nd Place (Tie): Huawei

• Shipments: 12.9 million units

• Market Share: 17%

• YoY Growth: 24%

Huawei tied with vivo for second place, also shipping 12.9 million units and holding a 17% market share. Huawei achieved a remarkable 24% year-on-year growth, one of the highest among the top five brands, indicating a strong recovery in the domestic market. The tie with vivo further underscores the competitive strength of domestic brands.

4th Place: Xiaomi

• Shipments: 12.2 million units

• Market Share: 16%

• YoY Growth: 29%

Xiaomi ranked fourth with 12.2 million units shipped and a 16% market share. Its 29% year-on-year growth was the highest among the top five. While slightly behind vivo and Huawei in market share, Xiaomi's shipment volume is only 700,000 units less than vivo's, a negligible difference. This suggests Xiaomi is aggressively vying for market share and experiencing strong growth momentum.

5th Place: OPPO

• Shipments: 10.6 million units

• Market Share: 14%

• YoY Growth: 18%

OPPO ranked fifth with 10.6 million units shipped and a 14% market share. Its 18% year-on-year growth shows progress, but the increase is relatively smaller compared to other domestic brands. The significant gap between OPPO and the top four indicates a need for OPPO to intensify its market competitiveness.

A striking feature of this report is the close proximity of shipments and market shares among the top four brands (Apple, vivo, Huawei, Xiaomi). vivo and Huawei had identical shipments and market shares. The difference between Xiaomi and vivo, and Xiaomi and Huawei, was only 700,000 units. This reveals the intense competition within China's smartphone market. In contrast, OPPO's gap with the top four is more pronounced, indicating a need to enhance its competitiveness. Notably, Honor fell out of the top five this quarter, possibly for the first time in three years. While the report didn't provide specific data for Honor, industry analysts suggest its performance was very close to OPPO's.

Another important point is that the report only provides shipment data, which doesn't equate to actual sales. Differences exist between shipment and sales figures, requiring analysis with other data. For example, referencing domestic Q4 activation rankings could provide a more comprehensive understanding of each brand's performance.

In conclusion, China's smartphone market in Q4 2024 showcased Apple's surprising victory alongside collective growth among domestic brands. While Apple secured the top spot, its 25% year-on-year decline is concerning. Conversely, vivo, Huawei, Xiaomi, and OPPO all achieved varying degrees of growth, demonstrating the increasing competitiveness of domestic brands in the domestic market and growing consumer acceptance of domestically produced phones. The ability of domestic brands to sustain their momentum and further erode Apple's market share will be a key area to watch. This report provides crucial insights for manufacturers to better formulate future market strategies and product planning. Continuous innovation and enhanced product competitiveness are essential for all brands to thrive in this fiercely competitive market. The future will likely see domestic brands focusing on improving technological capabilities and brand influence to capture a larger share of the global smartphone market. Continued efforts and adjustments in technological innovation, marketing, and adapting to changing consumer demands will be key to the sustained growth of all brands. This will remain a highly competitive and dynamic market, full of both opportunities and challenges.