Apple gains top spot in China smartphone market for 1st time in 2023

ISTANBUL

Apple gained the top spot in China's smartphone market for the first time ever in 2023, according to a report on Thursday.

The US-based global tech firm had a record-high market share of 17.3% last year in China -- the world's biggest smartphone market.

The record feat came despite China's smartphone shipments totaled 271.3 million units in 2023, which was a decline of 5% compared to 2022.

The figure was recorded as the lowest volume in a decade due to soft economic recovery and weak consumer sentiment in China, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC).

"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."

Chinese tech company Huawei returned to the top five ranking after more than two years, with a market share of 13.9% in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Apple was followed by Honor with a 17.1% market share, the consumer electronics firm that is majority owned by Shenzhen municipal government.

Rest of the top five rankings were occupied by Chinese companies in 2023, with OPPO having a 16.7% market share, followed by Vivo and Xiaomi with 16.5% and 13.2%, respectively.