Apple It hit its highest-ever market share in China in the fourth quarter, when it became the country’s biggest smartphone seller for the first time in six years, research firm Counterpoint Research reported.
The milestone coincided with the launch of the iPhone 13, amid stagnant demand for phones as market share fell from its main rival, Huawei Technologies.
The smartphone market share of Apple reached 23%, a record for the brand. Its unit sales volume grew 32% year-on-year in the quarter, while total smartphone sales in China fell 9%, according to Counterpoint.
Counterpoint analyst Mengmeng Zhang cited a lower starting price in China and the impact of US sanctions against Huawei, Huawei’s main competitor, as factors. Apple in the high-end segment.
The last time Apple ranked as the best-selling smartphone brand in China was in late 2015, just after the company launched its iPhone 6, which attracted Chinese consumers for its large screens.
In the whole of 2021, Apple ranked as the third best-selling smartphone brand in China, with 16% of the market.
Vivo and Oppo, two phone brands Android under the private company BBK Electronics, they came in first and second with 22% and 21%, respectively.
On a year-over-year basis, Apple’s unit sales increased 47%, while those of Huawei fell 68 percent. Total smartphone sales in China fell 2%, according to Counterpoint.
Longer refresh cycles have posed a dilemma for Chinese smartphone brands looking to maintain growth at home, as consumers delay buying new devices.
The skip chips and components around the world has shaken the entire electronics industry, affecting the prices and margins of all hardware manufacturers.
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