The smartphone segment in China grew by 3.3% to 71.6 million units last quarter, as noted in a press release from IDC. The growth of the local market was generally facilitated by the introduction of subsidies for smartphones priced up to $810 by the Chinese authorities in January, but some Apple products were not affected, which partly explains the decline in the iPhone’s share in China.
Image Source: Apple
As noted in the IDC material, the growth in smartphone sales in China in the first quarter was also facilitated by seasonal demand, timed to coincide with the celebration of the New Year according to the Chinese lunar calendar. The global smartphone market grew by 1.5% in the first quarter, so the Chinese market demonstrated faster growth rates. IDC analysts initially expected that the stimulating effect of subsidies on the Chinese smartphone market would be more effective.
The dynamics of Xiaomi product deliveries allowed this company to return to the first place in the Chinese smartphone market after almost ten years. Direct deliveries increased in a year-on-year comparison by 39.9% to 13.3 million smartphones, and Xiaomi’s share increased from 9.5 to 13.3%. Huawei had to settle for second place, but its deliveries also increased by 10% to 12.9 million smartphones, and its share increased from 17 to 18%.
Image source: IDC
Oppo came in third with shipments growing by 3.3% to 11.2 million units, maintaining its share at 15.7%. Vivo came in fourth, with its position falling from 14.6% to 14.4%, and shipments growing by 2.3% to 10.3 million units. Apple rounded out the top five, cutting iPhone shipments by 9% and losing 1.9% of the smartphone market in China to its competitors. The company ended the quarter with a market share of 13.7%. The American supplier was the only member of the top five to reduce smartphone shipments in China in the first quarter. However, if we look at statistics outside the top five, other players in the Chinese market reduced smartphone shipments by 14% to 14 million units, accounting for 19.5% of the Chinese market.