China’s Smartphone Market Rebounds with 5.6% Growth in 2024, Fueled by vivo and Huawei

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According to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, China's smartphone market shipped 76.4 million units in 4Q24, a 3.9% year-on-year (YoY) increase. This growth was driven by new product launches and government subsidies initiated in some provinces and cities. For the full year 2024, the Chinese market shipped 286.2 million units, a 5.6% YoY growth, marking a recovery after two years of decline thanks to pent-up demand and innovations like GenAI.

“The recovery is a boon to the smartphone industry, but not all OEMs have benefited from the growth as consumers are becoming more selective,” said Will Wong, senior research manager for Client Devices at IDC Asia/Pacific. “This implies a value-seeking trend that is prevalent not only in China but also globally. Market players need to adapt to this shift in consumer behavior if they want to continue to capitalize on the recovery.”

• vivo led the Chinese market in 2024, driven by its user-centric approach across all price segments as well as the focus on both hardware and software development.
• Huawei made a strong comeback, securing second place for the full year 2024 with over 50% shipment growth, supported by improvement in the supply chain capability.
• Apple achieved the number 1 spot for the quarter, however it saw its market share and shipments shrink in 2024 due to increased competition in the market and uncertainty around launch of Apple Intelligence in China.
• Honor remained a top five OEM amid the intense competition. The vendor focused on product differentiation and innovation while achieving overseas growth.
• OPPO rebounded with shipment growth in 4Q24, driven by increased investment in mid- to high-end products and the success of its Find X8 series.

“The market recovery is expected to be supported by government subsidies in 2025,” said Arthur Guo, senior research analyst in Client System Research for IDC China. “This presents an opportunity for market players to adapt their strategies by leveraging these government’s initiatives.”