Apple’s Mainland China Shipments Drop 25% in Q4 Amid Stiff Competition – Canalys By Investing.com
Investing.com- Apple Inc (NASDAQ: ) saw its smartphone shipments in mainland China plummet 25% YoY in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to a Canalys research report.
Despite shipping 13.1 million units during a traditionally high-demand quarter, Apple faced stiff competition from domestic brands, causing its market share to drop to 17%, down from 24% a year earlier, according to a Canalys report.
This decline highlights the growing pressure on Apple as Chinese competitors, such as Huawei and Xiaomi (OTC:) Corp (HK:), continue to strengthen their foothold in the premium smartphone segment.
The overall smartphone market in mainland China showed signs of recovery in 2024, with annual shipments up 4% to 285 million units, after two years of decline. Canalys attributed this growth to strategic investments, technological innovation and government subsidies, which helped drive demand across price segments.
In the fourth quarter of 2024 alone, shipments rose 5% year-on-year to 77.4 million units, driven by year-end promotions and premium product launches. Vivo led the market this year with a 17% share, shipping 49.3 million units, closely followed by Huawei with 46.0 million units, which saw strong growth of 37% year-on-year.
Xiaomi also posted a strong performance in the fourth quarter, shipping 12.2 million units, posting the highest annual growth among top vendors at 29%. OPPO secured fifth place with 10.6 million units shipped, achieving an 18% year-over-year increase.
Analysts at Canalys noted that the recovery was “structurally sound”, driven by value-added products and innovations, including foldable design and advances in artificial intelligence-powered operating systems. Looking ahead, the market is expected to exceed 290 million units in 2025, supported by favorable macroeconomic conditions and further government subsidies, according to Canalys.
The report highlights the intensifying competition in China’s smartphone market as domestic players ramp up their offerings to challenge Apple’s dominance in the high-end segment.
