Apple's iPhone shipments in China fell by 25% in the fourth quarter, tying with Huawei for the top market share
In the fourth quarter of 2024, Apple held a 17% market share in China, shipping 13.1 million iPhones. Huawei's shipments increased by 24%, reaching 12.9 million units, also achieving a 17% market share, tying for first place with Apple
Faced with the strong rise of local brands, Apple is challenged in its market share in China.
On January 16, according to data from market research firm Canalys, Apple's smartphone shipments in China plummeted by 25% in the fourth quarter of 2024. Nevertheless, Apple barely maintained its leading position with a 17% market share, shipping 13.1 million iPhones.
At the same time, Huawei achieved strong growth during the same period, with shipments increasing by 24% to 12.9 million units, and its market share also reached 17%, tying with Apple for first place.
Canalys analyst Amber Liu stated, "Although Apple and its iPhone 15 series maintained their leading position in the fourth quarter, they are facing increasing pressure from domestic smartphones."
Apple adopts promotional strategies to cope with competition
Since Huawei's return to the high-end market in August 2023, it has become Apple's strongest challenger in the Chinese market.
In 2024, the overall Chinese smartphone market showed signs of recovery, with shipments increasing by 4% year-on-year to 285 million units.
In the face of increasingly fierce competitive pressure, Apple has rarely adopted a price reduction promotional strategy. From January 4 to 7, Apple conducted a four-day promotional event for the iPhone 16 series products through official channels in China, with discounts of up to 500 yuan per unit.
Major Chinese e-commerce platforms also followed suit with their own promotional activities. For example, Alibaba's Tmall announced discounts of up to 1,000 yuan per unit for the iPhone 15 series devices.
Apple is actively responding to changes in the Chinese market, striving to maintain its leading position in the world's largest smartphone market. Canalys analyst Amber Liu pointed out:
"In addition to seasonal promotions, Apple is also enhancing its competitiveness and user retention in the high-end market in China through improved retail experiences, trade-in programs, and expanding interest-free installment payment plans."