In recent years, the global smartphone market has become a battlefield with intense competition. For example, many Chinese smartphone companies, feeling the heat in their domestic market, have chosen to expand overseas. This decision highlights just how fierce the competition has become, even if it means starting fresh in new regions.
Despite the challenges, the smartphone market has recently entered a brief period of calm. However, this doesn’t mean companies are no longer interested in growth. Instead, the industry has hit a point where expansion is difficult because most brands are now offering similar features. When everyone follows the same trend, smartphones from different companies start to look and feel the same, making it harder for brands to stand out.
One example of this is Apple, a company known for its innovation. In recent years, Apple’s sales have dropped sharply as their new phones failed to introduce any groundbreaking features. In 2024, Apple’s dominance in the market was seriously challenged, and at one point, the company was close to falling out of the top five in terms of market share. Yet, by the end of the year, Apple made a strong comeback to reclaim the top spot. This leaves us with important questions: How did Apple recover? How did Chinese brands like Huawei and Xiaomi perform in such a competitive environment?
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The Chinese Smartphone Market in 2024
Let’s first focus on the Chinese market. The fourth quarter of the year is a crucial period for smartphone companies because it’s when most brands launch their flagship models. This naturally intensifies the competition. Even though innovation has slowed down in recent years, several models released in 2024 still managed to capture consumers’ attention. As a result, the Chinese smartphone market experienced rare growth for four consecutive quarters.
This growth is significant because smartphones are not short-term products; most people use their phones for several years before upgrading. Yet, despite their long lifespan, many consumers were eager to buy new phones. This trend might be connected to a general rise in people’s purchasing power in 2024.
Among the standout models in 2024 was Huawei’s tri-fold phone, launched in the final quarter. This innovative device gained massive popularity, helping Huawei secure the number 1 position in China during this period. Huawei’s new phone activation numbers exceeded 13 million units, and its year-on-year growth reached an impressive 14%. This performance showed that Huawei remains a strong player in the Chinese market.
Interestingly, the company ranked second was not Apple, as many would expect, but Xiaomi. With slightly higher new phone activation numbers than Apple, Xiaomi edged out its rival by a narrow margin. Xiaomi’s success in the smartphone market is noteworthy, especially because the company also made significant strides in other industries, like electric vehicles. This diversified approach has allowed Xiaomi to strengthen its position in its core business as well.
In summary, the top three smartphone brands in China during the fourth quarter of 2024 were Huawei, Xiaomi, and Apple. Each brand’s performance reflects the dynamic and competitive nature of the domestic market.
The Global Smartphone Market
Moving to the global stage, the smartphone market faced two years of declining sales. This downturn left many companies uncertain about the industry’s future. However, 2024 brought a much-needed recovery. Over 1.2 billion smartphones were sold worldwide, representing a 7% increase compared to 2023. This renewed growth has given brands a more optimistic outlook, even though the pace of growth in 2025 is expected to slow down.
For a long time, Samsung held the top position in global sales. However, with the shifts in the market, Apple regained the number 1 spot in 2024. Apple’s global shipments reached 232 million units, which means the company accounted for nearly 20% of the total market. Such a commanding share is nothing short of remarkable. Samsung, while still a strong competitor, sold 223 million units, narrowly missing the top spot. If Samsung can introduce more innovative products in the coming years, it could potentially reclaim its position as the global leader.
Following Apple and Samsung is Xiaomi, which secured third place globally with 168 million units sold. Many people might be surprised to see Xiaomi in such a prominent position, but the company’s strong performance reflects its growing influence in the market. Xiaomi’s market share exceeded 13%, and it was the only brand among the top five to experience year-on-year growth. This consistent growth has been a key factor in Xiaomi’s rise.
The fourth and fifth positions globally were occupied by Transsion and OPPO. These two brands had similar market shares and were almost tied in their rankings. Transsion’s stronghold in emerging markets and Oppo’s diverse product offerings have allowed them to compete effectively. Notably, their performance pushed Vivo out of the top five. This was surprising, especially since Vivo had shown signs of outperforming Oppo earlier in the year. However, as competition intensified, Vivo fell short of maintaining its position.
Challenges and Opportunities for Huawei
While Huawei performed exceptionally well in the Chinese market, its global performance was less impressive. The company still ranks among the top ten smartphone brands worldwide, and it’s one of the fastest-growing brands. This growth indicates that Huawei has the potential to climb higher in the global rankings. However, to achieve this, the company will need to address challenges such as limited access to international markets and competition from established global players like Apple, Samsung, and Xiaomi.
Conclusion
The global smartphone market in 2024 highlighted the intense competition among major brands. While Apple regained its position as the global leader, Samsung and Xiaomi also demonstrated their strengths. In China, Huawei and Xiaomi outperformed Apple, showcasing the competitive nature of the domestic market. Meanwhile, brands like Transsion and Oppo proved their ability to compete on a global scale, even pushing Vivo out of the top five.
Looking ahead, the industry faces both challenges and opportunities. The recovery of the global market in 2024 shows that there is still room for growth, but companies will need to innovate and adapt to changing consumer preferences to stay ahead. Huawei, in particular, has shown great potential and could rise further in the rankings with the right strategy. Ultimately, the smartphone market remains a dynamic and exciting space, with each brand vying to capture the attention of consumers around the world.
