In a fresh report from Canalys, Apple's stronghold in China's smartphone market has become even more clear. The tech leader now holds half of the top 10 best-selling smartphone models in Mainland China for Q3 2024.
Apple’s Strong Sales in China
Leading the pack is the iPhone 15 Pro Max, followed closely by its relatives: the iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15. This outstanding performance highlights Apple's powerful brand attraction and the appeal of its high-end features.
Domestic brands like Honor, Oppo, Xiaomi, Vivo, and Huawei have also made it into the top 10, but their share of the market is small when compared to Apple’s. Once a major player in the Chinese market, Huawei now finds it difficult to keep up, with only one model, the Huawei Pura 70, appearing on the list.
Huawei's Market Position
Even with its challenges, Huawei remains strong in the 4,000-6,000 yuan ($550-$825) pricing range, where it is still the leading Chinese competitor against Apple. However, the company’s standing in the premium sector has been heavily affected by ongoing US trade restrictions. Because of this, Huawei has had to depend on less powerful, domestically made chips, which limits its competitiveness in the high-end market.
Despite these obstacles, Huawei keeps a dedicated customer base in China, with many people seeing the brand as a source of national pride. By buying Huawei products, they feel they are supporting local technology and cutting down on dependence on foreign companies.
New Launches and Future Challenges
Last month, Huawei introduced its new Mate 70 series, featuring its entirely self-developed HarmonyOS Next operating system. This new OS, which does not include any Android code, aims to compete with iOS and Android in China, with prices for the Mate 70 series starting at 5,499 yuan ($756). They also presented the Mate X6 foldable smartphone, emphasizing AI features as a key advantage.
However, as Apple’s presence expands and Chinese consumers become more selective, Huawei’s future in the smartphone industry is still unclear. The company will need to innovate fiercely and discover creative strategies to overcome the restrictions set by US sanctions in order to reclaim its previous status.
Source: Link
