Apple smartphones capture top spot in China for the first time

A shift of power playing out on the worldwide stage also happened in China, the largest smartphone market. Apple became the leading smartphone company in China for the first time with record high market share of 17,3% in 2023.

According to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, China smartphone shipments totaled 271,3-million units in 2023, which was a decline of 5% compared to 2022. This was the lowest volume in a decade, stemming from a soft economic recovery and weak consumer sentiment.

While the Chinese smartphone market remains challenged, it is moving towards recovery with the fourth quarter of 2023 (4Q23) delivering year-over-year growth of 1,2% on shipments of 73,6-million units, marking the end of 10 consecutive quarters of year-over-year decline. The resilient high-end consumers in the tier 1-3 cities were the key drivers, fueling demand for flagship products.

Meanwhile, demand for low- to mid-range devices remained weak, impeding the overall growth of the market as they represent over half the smartphone market in China.

“Apple’s climb to the top spot in 2023, especially in light of renewed competition from Huawei and the soft spending sentiment, marks a tremendous success for Apple,” says Arthur Guo, senior research analyst in Client System Research for IDC China. “Apple achieved this thanks to timely price promotions in its third-party channels, which stimulated demand.

“Meanwhile, Honor maintained its number two position thanks to improvement in its channel partnerships and a well-rounded product strategy, capturing the high end with its successful foldable lineup and the low-to-mid range with several popular models.”

Will Wong, senior research manager for Client Devices at IDC Asia/Pacific, comments: “One key highlight we shouldn’t miss in 4Q23 was the return of Huawei to the top five ranking after more than two years. This will only intensify the competition as no vendors will want to lose a top five position in the world’s largest smartphone market.”