Analysis of China's Smartphone Market in 2024: Huawei Leads, Market Polarization Intensifies

Analysis of China's Smartphone Market in 2024: Huawei Leads, Market Polarization IntensifiesOn January 28, 2024, CounterPoint Research, a renowned market research firm, released its analysis report on the Chinese smartphone market in 2024. The report indicated a year-on-year growth of 1

Analysis of China's Smartphone Market in 2024: Huawei Leads, Market Polarization Intensifies

On January 28, 2024, CounterPoint Research, a renowned market research firm, released its analysis report on the Chinese smartphone market in 2024. The report indicated a year-on-year growth of 1.5% in smartphone sales. However, CounterPoint Research didn't provide specific sales figures, only stating that the overall market performance was less robust than in 2023. It's important to note that the report's data is based on cumulative weekly sales data, similar to the commonly used weekly activation data in China.

The report revealed a highly uneven performance in China's smartphone market in 2024. The market was relatively sluggish at the beginning and end of the year, but from week 5 to week 36, performance significantly outpaced the same period in 2023, ultimately resulting in the 1.5% year-on-year growth. This growth wasn't consistently steady but rather the accumulation of strong performance in specific periods.

In terms of brand performance, Huawei led the market with a 36% year-on-year growth rate, achieving the highest growth among all brands. Xiaomi and vivo followed closely, with 10% and 6% growth respectively, ranking second and third in growth rate. However, Apple and OPPO experienced year-on-year declines of 13% and 9% respectively, while Honor also saw a 3% decrease. This significant disparity in growth highlights the increasingly severe polarization among brands in China's smartphone market. The gap between leading brands and others is widening, and the market competitive landscape is undergoing profound changes.

CounterPoint Research's report emphasizes that while the Chinese smartphone market saw slight growth in 2024, this growth masks the complex competitive dynamics within the market. Huawei's strong growth contrasts sharply with the varying degrees of decline among other major brands, suggesting even fiercer competition and a more pronounced winnowing-out process in the future. The report's data isn't a simple year-end comparison but rather a cumulative analysis of weekly data, reflecting the dynamic fluctuations of the market.

The report also offers a forecast for the Chinese smartphone market in 2025. With smartphones included in the national subsidy program, the market is expected to continue growing in 2025, but the growth rate won't be substantial. The report also predicts that the gap between brands may widen further, making the market competition even more intense. This cautious forecast reflects CounterPoint Research's complex expectations for the future development of China's smartphone market.

It's crucial to further analyze the uneven market performance and the weak market conditions at the beginning and end of the year, as mentioned in the report. These factors may be related to various elements such as the macroeconomic environment, consumer purchasing power, and product innovation cycles. Deeper research might reveal the underlying causes of these market fluctuations, providing companies with a basis for more precise market strategies.

CounterPoint Research's report, though lacking specific sales figures, provides valuable insights into market trends and brand performance. Huawei's strong growth and the weak or declining performance of other brands deserve in-depth consideration by industry professionals. This data reflects the cutthroat and complex nature of competition in China's smartphone market, offering crucial guidance for future development.

For the 2025 market, CounterPoint Research remains relatively cautious. The implementation of the national subsidy policy will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the market, but the sustainability and intensity of this impact remain to be seen. Furthermore, future product strategies, marketing strategies of various brands, and consumer purchasing intentions will all significantly influence market development.

In summary, the Chinese smartphone market in 2024 presented a coexistence of growth and polarization. Huawei's robust growth serves as a wake-up call for other brands. In the future, facing more intense competition and an uncertain market environment, all brands need to continuously improve their competitiveness to survive. The national subsidy policy has injected new vitality into the market, but whether sustainable growth can be achieved ultimately depends on the collective efforts of all brands.

It is noteworthy that the performance of the domestic mobile phone market in January 2025 was encouraging. Within twenty days of the implementation of the national subsidy policy, some brands saw a week-on-week sales increase of up to 100%, with all six major brands achieving week-on-week growth. This phenomenon indicates the positive impact of the national subsidy policy, but whether this strong growth trend can be sustained remains unknown. How brands adjust their strategies and launch more attractive products and marketing methods will directly impact the future market trend. This requires continuous monitoring of market dynamics and further in-depth analysis and research.

CounterPoint Research's brief report, while concise, provides a crucial perspective on the Chinese smartphone market in 2024. It also offers a valuable reference for judging future market trends. However, the market is ever-changing, and future development remains uncertain. We need to continuously monitor market dynamics and proactively adapt to market changes to succeed in this fiercely competitive environment. Only through continuous innovation and improved product competitiveness can we achieve a leading position in future market competition. This requires not only the efforts of individual companies but also the collective promotion of technological advancement and market regulation by the entire industry.