In-depth Analysis of the Market Performance of Six Major Smartphone Brands Under China's 2023 National Subsidy Policy

In-depth Analysis of the Market Performance of Six Major Smartphone Brands Under China's 2023 National Subsidy PolicySince January 20th, China's national subsidy policy has officially covered 3C digital products, sparking widespread market attention. What is the impact of this policy on the mobile phone industry? Which brand benefited the most? Although official data has yet to be released, industry observer "RD Observation" has conducted an in-depth analysis of the market performance of six major smartphone brandsXiaomi, Huawei, vivo, OPPO, Honor, and Appleunder the combined effect of the national subsidy policy and the Lunar New Year promotions, revealing the real situation behind this "subsidy war

In-depth Analysis of the Market Performance of Six Major Smartphone Brands Under China's 2023 National Subsidy Policy

Since January 20th, China's national subsidy policy has officially covered 3C digital products, sparking widespread market attention. What is the impact of this policy on the mobile phone industry? Which brand benefited the most? Although official data has yet to be released, industry observer "RD Observation" has conducted an in-depth analysis of the market performance of six major smartphone brandsXiaomi, Huawei, vivo, OPPO, Honor, and Appleunder the combined effect of the national subsidy policy and the Lunar New Year promotions, revealing the real situation behind this "subsidy war."

I. Xiaomi: Fastest Implementation, Widest Coverage, Biggest Improvement

Xiaomi performed exceptionally well in this national subsidy policy. Notably, Xiaomi's best-selling models, such as the Xiaomi 13 and Redmi K60, did not implement price cuts. This differs from the promotional strategies of other manufacturers, although price reductions during peak sales periods may not be necessary. However, Xiaomi had previously actively participated in the national subsidy policy for home appliances and laptops, accumulating extensive experience. Therefore, Xiaomi became the brand with the fastest implementation and most comprehensive online and offline coverage of the national subsidy policy. According to "RD Observation's" analysis, Xiaomi currently boasts the best market performance and the greatest improvement. Its success lies in its rapid response and omni-channel coverage, maximizing the market opportunities presented by the national subsidy policy.

II. Huawei: High-end Models Restricted, Daily Sales Decline

Huawei adopted a price-reduction strategy for this national subsidy policy, promoting models such as the Huawei nova 13 (100 price reduction) and Huawei nova 13 Pro (150 price reduction), which enjoyed subsidies on top of the discounts. However, some of Huawei's high-end models were not eligible for the subsidy, limiting its overall potential for improvement. "RD Observation" points out that Huawei's overall daily sales have shown a downward trend. This indicates that while the price reduction strategy attracted consumers to some extent, the exclusion of high-end models from the subsidy, along with other factors, ultimately resulted in Huawei's overall market performance falling short of expectations.

III. vivo: Numerous Participating Models, but Slow Implementation and Low Coverage

vivo included many models in the national subsidy program, including the Y700, Y200, iQOO Neo10 series, and vivo X90 standard version, with price reductions ranging from 100 to 400. However, "RD Observation" notes that vivo's online and offline implementation was slow, and store coverage was low, severely restricting the actual effectiveness of the national subsidy policy. Despite the large number of participating models, the limited coverage ultimately resulted in less improvement than expected. This highlights the importance of channel development under the national subsidy policy.

IV. OPPO: Large Price Reductions, but Limited by Implementation Speed and Coverage

OPPO promoted models such as the Find X6 series, Reno10 series, and K11 Plus for the national subsidy, with price reductions up to 500. The OnePlus 13 and OnePlus Ace 5 Pro also received price cuts. OPPO attempted to attract consumers by combining price reductions with the national subsidy. However, similar to vivo, OPPO also faced slow subsidy implementation and low store coverage. "RD Observation" believes that due to OPPO's relatively smaller market share, its improvement was slightly greater than vivo's. Among them, the OPPO Reno10's 3299 version showed the best sales performance thanks to the national subsidy.

V. Honor: Small Price Reductions, Daily Sales Decline

Honor primarily promoted models such as the Magic7 Pro, Honor 300 series, and Honor X60 Pro for the national subsidy, but price reductions did not exceed 200. "RD Observation" points out that Honor's overall market performance was complex, with daily sales showing a downward trend, without providing further detailed analysis. This suggests that Honor's strategy under the national subsidy policy may need further adjustment to better meet market demand.

VI. Apple: Only Some Models Participate, Sales Decline

Only the iPhone 14 and some discounted Apple models were eligible for the national subsidy. "RD Observation" notes that Apple's daily sales also showed a downward trend. This indicates that even high-end brands like Apple are affected by the national subsidy policy and the broader market environment.

VII. Overall Market Performance: Sales Increased in the 2000-6000 Price Range, Decreased in Other Ranges

"RD Observation" concludes that under the national subsidy policy, sales of mobile phones in the 2000 to 6000 price range generally increased, while sales in the price ranges below 2000 and above 6000 decreased. This is primarily attributed to the varied impact of the national subsidy policy on different price segments. The policy mainly benefited the mid-range market, while the high-end and low-end markets were less affected.

Conclusion

The national subsidy policy significantly impacted the mobile phone market, and the differences in brand performance reflect the advantages and disadvantages of their respective strategies. Xiaomi, with its rapid implementation speed and comprehensive coverage, emerged as the biggest winner. Other brands face varying challenges and need to further optimize their strategies in the future to better adapt to market changes. This analysis also shows that channel development, market positioning, and product strategy are crucial under the national subsidy policy. Future market competition will become even more intense; those who can better grasp market trends will prevail.