Apple Captures Top Spot in China Smartphone Market in 2023, Despite Overall Market Drop
January 25, 2024 | IDCEstimated reading time: 1 minute
A shift of power that we saw on the worldwide stage also happened in China, the largest smartphone market globally. 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 5.0% 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 ten 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," said 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 2 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."
"One key highlight we shouldn't miss in 4Q23 was the return of Huawei to the Top 5 ranking after more than two years," said Will Wong, senior research manager for Client Devices at IDC Asia/Pacific. "This will only intensify the competition as no vendors will want to lose a top 5 position in the world's largest smartphone market."
Suggested Items
Avnet Launches QCS6490 Vision-AI Development Kit
05/17/2024 | AvnetThe QCS6490 Vision-AI Development Kit from Avnet enables engineering teams to rapidly prototype hardware, application software and AI enablement for multi-camera, high-performance, Edge AI-enabled custom embedded products.
Nortech Systems Reports Q1 Results and Actions to Reduce Facility Costs
05/17/2024 | BUSINESS WIRENortech Systems Incorporated, a leading provider of engineering and manufacturing solutions for complex electromedical and electromechanical products serving the medical, industrial and defense markets, reported first quarter ended March 31, 2024 financial results.
Shipments of OLED Monitors Hit 200,000 Units in 1Q24, Annual Forecast to Reach 1.34 Million
05/17/2024 | TrendForceTrendForce’s latest report reveals a robust start to 2024 for OLED monitors, with shipments reaching approximately 200,000 units in the first quarter—marking a YoY growth of 121%.
The ICAPE Group Reports Revenue for Q1 2024
05/16/2024 | ICAPE GroupThe ICAPE Group, a global technology distributor of printed circuit boards (PCB) and custom-made electromechanical parts, announced its revenue for the first quarter of 2024.
Sypris Reports Q1 2024 Results; Revenue Up 10%
05/15/2024 | Sypris Solutions Inc.The Company’s first quarter 2024 consolidated revenue increased 10.1% to $35.6 million compared with the prior-year quarter, representing the 11th quarter of double-digit year-over-year growth during the past 12 quarterly periods.