By Yara Abi Farraj
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Apple’s China smartphone shipments fall 6.5 percent as local players dominate: Report

Vivo reclaimed the top spot in China with 13.1 million smartphone shipments, capturing a 19 percent market share
Apple’s China smartphone shipments fall 6.5 percent as local players dominate: Report
Apple ranked sixth with a market share of 14 percent, a 2 percent decline from the second quarter of the previous year

Apple’s smartphone shipments in China declined by 6.7 percent in the second quarter of 2024, as the tech giant faced greater competition from local players like Huawei, Honor, OPPO and Vivo. In its latest report, market research firm Canalys reveals that Apple’s total shipments in Q2 declined to 9.7 million units from 10.4 million units in the same quarter last year.

In contrast,  Huawei reported a 41 percent annual increase in China smartphone shipments to 10.6 million following the launch of its new Pura 70 series in April.

Chinese market normalizes

“The Chinese market is finally aligning with global recovery speeds. This was largely driven by the supply side, which leverages nationwide sales events such as ‘618’,” stated Canalys research manager Amber Liu.

Meanwhile, Vivo reclaimed the top spot in China with 13.1 million smartphone shipments, capturing a 19 percent market share. The company’s strong performance in offline channels and robust online sales during the ‘618’ e-commerce festival further bolstered its position.

OPPO ranked second, shipping 11.3 million units, buoyed by the launch of its new Reno 12 series. Meanwhile, Honor came in third, with shipments of 10.7 million units, marking a 4 percent annual increase.

Read: Meta unveils Llama 3.1, its most capable AI model to date

Collaboration with local supply chains pays off

Xiaomi saw a 17 percent year-on-year increase and re-entered the top five by shipping 10 million units. The significant marketing buzz this quarter surrounding Xiaomi’s first electric car, the SU7, contributed to the solid sales of its K70 and flagship 14 series.

“Chinese vendors’ strategies for high-end products and their deep collaboration with local supply chains are starting to pay off in hardware and software features,” added Canalys research analyst Lucas Zhong.

Apple ranked sixth with a market share of 14 percent, a 2 percent decline from the second quarter of the previous year.

In total, China’s smartphone shipments rose by 10 percent in Q2, exceeding 70 million units. 

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