BEIJING and NEEDHAM, Mass., January 28, 2025 – 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.”
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International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,300 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology, IT benchmarking and sourcing, and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC’s analysis and insight helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. Founded in 1964, IDC is a wholly owned subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world’s leading tech media, data, and marketing services company. To learn more about IDC, please visit idc.com /ap. Follow IDC on Twitter at @IDC and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the IDC Blog for industry news and insights.
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