Canalys: vivo and Huawei beat Apple for lead of China's smartphone market in 2024
Canalys reports that 2024 was a year of recovery for the smartphone market in China. A total of 285 million units were shipped, up 4% compared to the year before.
The Top 5 is mostly local brands with only Apple in third breaking the pattern. vivo became the new market leader with 49.3 million units shipped, while a rebounding Huawei also moved past Apple with a year-on-year growth of 37% (for a total of 46.0 million units shipped).
Apple, which was the #1 company in 2023, is now down to third place followed by Oppo and Honor.
| People’s Republic of China (mainland) smartphone shipments and annual growth Canalys Smartphone Market Pulse: full year 2024 | |||||
| Vendor | 2024 shipments (million) | 2024 market share | 2023 shipments (million) | 2023 market share | Annual growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| vivo | 49.3 | 17% | 44.5 | 16% | 11% |
| Huawei | 46 | 16% | 33.5 | 12% | 37% |
| Apple | 42.9 | 15% | 51.8 | 19% | -17% |
| OPPO | 42.7 | 15% | 43.9 | 16% | -3% |
| HONOR | 42.2 | 15% | 43.6 | 16% | -3% |
| Others | 61.6 | 22% | 55.3 | 20% | 12% |
| Total | 284.6 | 100% | 272.5 | 100% | 4% |
| Note: OnePlus is included in OPPO shipments. Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding Source: Canalys Smartphone Analysis (sell-in shipments), January 2025 | |||||
These were the numbers for the full year 2024. Apple’s best quarter is usually Q4 – that’s when the new iPhones launch – and this traditionally pushes Apple to the top spot for the quarter. As it did again this year, but only just.
| People’s Republic of China (mainland) smartphone shipments and annual growth Canalys Smartphone Market Pulse: Q4 2024 | |||||
| Vendor | Q4 2024 shipments (million) | Q4 2024 market share | Q4 2023 shipments (million) | Q4 2023 market share | Annual growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | 13.1 | 17% | 17.5 | 24% | -25% |
| vivo | 12.9 | 17% | 11.3 | 15% | 14% |
| Huawei | 12.9 | 17% | 10.4 | 14% | 24% |
| Xiaomi | 12.2 | 16% | 9.5 | 13% | 29% |
| OPPO | 10.6 | 14% | 9 | 12% | 18% |
| Others | 15.6 | 20% | 16.3 | 22% | -4% |
| Total | 77.4 | 100% | 73.9 | 100% | 5% |
| Note: OnePlus is included in OPPO shipments. Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding Source: Canalys Smartphone Analysis (sell-in shipments), January 2025 | |||||
Apple shipped 13.1 million units in Q4 2024, which is 25% less than it did during the same period in 2023. With vivo and Huawei growing (by 14% and 24%, respectively), both were breathing down Apple’s neck – both companies shipped 12.9 million units in Q4.
For 2025, the analysts expect the smartphone market to grow to more than 290 million units shipped. “Further upgrades in product experience, such as longer battery life, slimmer and lighter designs, innovative form factors and enhanced AI-powered operating system experiences, will benefit and attract consumers across all price segments,” commented Lucas Zhong, Research Analyst at Canalys.
