According to the latest research from Counterpoint’s Market Monitor service (https://www.counterpointresearch.com), smartphone shipments in China declined 7% annually but grew sequentially in quarter two of 2018. The top five brands — which includes Apple — captured a record 84% of the market (Apple has 8%).
iPhone shipments remained flat year-over-year in China. During the quarter, share of online sales for Apple grew both sequentially and annually due to comparatively higher discounts available on online as compared to offline channels.
“E-commerce is now a key part of Apple’s channel strategy in China, contributing to almost a third of its total sales in China,” says research analyst Flora Tang. “Riding on the trend it was the third largest brand in terms of sales volume during the 618 festival. iPhone X and iPhone 8 Plus surprisingly remained one of the popular and top selling models in China during Q2 2018.”
Huawei reached its highest-ever market share in the country. Xiaomi’s market share declined annually, while OPPO and Vivo secured one spot each on the bestselling models list with their flagships, the R15 and the X21.