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Mainland China's smartphone market shipped 285 million units in 2024, achieving 4% annual growth following two years of decline, Canalys reported Thursday. Rising demand across all sectors drove the recovery; suppliers used smart investments and technology improvements.
Comprising 17% of all shipments, vivo dominated the market with 49.3 million devices delivered. With 46 million units and the biggest annual increase among big brands37%Huawei trailed closely. With 42.9 million shipments, a 17% drop from 2023, Apple (AAPL, Financials) came third as domestic flagship smartphone competition grew. With each holding 15% market share, OPPO and HONOR completed the top five.
Driven by government subsidies, year-end promotions, and a robust high-end market, smartphone shipments increased 5% year over year to 77.4 million units in the fourth quarter. With 13.1 million devices sold, Apple kept first but dropped 25% from the same time in 2023. With 12.9 million units each, Huawei and vivo tied for second place, with respectively 24% and 14% increase respectively. With a 29% increase in shipments to 12.2 million devices, Xiaomi (XIACF, Financials) ranked first among major suppliers in Q4.
Citing favorable market circumstances, consistent demand recovery, and government assistance via subsidies launched in January, Canalys expects smartphone sales in Mainland China would top 290 million units in 2025. To attract customers across price points, vendors are anticipated to concentrate on increased product features including better battery life, creative form factors, and AI-powered systems.
This article first appeared on GuruFocus.