Top Spot Recovered by Huawei in China's Smartphone Market Sector - Huawei Climbs Back to Dominance in China's Smartphone Sector
In a surprising turn of events, Huawei has reclaimed the top spot in China's smartphone market, marking the first time in over four years that it has led the market there. This resurgence comes amid an uncertain economic environment, weak consumer confidence, and reduced government subsidies that have caused the broader market to contract by 4% year-over-year to 69 million units shipped.
According to the latest IDC ranking, Huawei shipped about 12.5 million units, capturing an 18.1% market share. This is a slight year-on-year shipment decline of 3.4%, but it is still enough to edge out rivals like Apple, which held the fifth place with a 13.9% share of the market.
Huawei's rise can be attributed to its strong brand appeal, effective management of shipments, and loyalty from its core users. Despite ongoing US sanctions limiting access to advanced chips and continued geopolitical issues, Huawei resumed sales of its Mate 60 series in China in August 2023 and has made strategic moves such as launching high-end foldable phones to compete with Apple domestically. The preference among Chinese consumers for domestic brands over foreign ones like Apple has also supported Huawei’s resurgence.
However, market experts caution that the recovery faces headwinds. The disruption of government subsidy programs and broader economic uncertainty means a near-term rebound in smartphone demand is unlikely as the market faces a complex landscape in the second half of 2025. Other brands, like Vivo and Oppo, saw declines, while Xiaomi was the only major brand showing annual growth during the same period.
It's worth noting that two local manufacturers overtook Apple in China's smartphone market last year, but Huawei was not specified as one of them. The identity of the second local manufacturer is not specified in the article. Consumer confidence remains dampened in China, according to IDC analyst Arthur Guo.
The US has warned that Huawei technology could serve as a backdoor for Chinese espionage, a concern that has been ongoing since 2019 when sanctions were first imposed, cutting off the company from US technologies. In response, Huawei has been developing its own components to mitigate these effects.
In conclusion, despite ongoing espionage concerns and US sanctions, Huawei has successfully regained the lead in China's smartphone market by mid-2025, driven by strong domestic support and effective strategy. However, future growth may still be challenged by economic and policy uncertainties.
- Despite the US allegations of Huawei technology being a potential risk for Chinese espionage, the technology group works tirelessly to return to the top of the smartphone market in China, even manufacturing their own components to mitigate the effects of US sanctions.
- In the home market of China, gadgets like smartphones from Huawei, Apple, Xiaomi, and other domestic brands are in high demand, with smartphone technology playing a significant role in market dynamics, particularly in the second half of 2025.
