According to a new report from the IDC, the International Data Corporation, Honor is now the biggest smartphone brand in China. However, this growth is Apple’s loss, with the creator of the iPhone’s market share dipping 6.6% in the last twelve months.
We say Honor is now the biggest smartphone brand, but it’s very close, with its 17.1% market share just 0.1% bigger than Huawei’s 17%. Still, it’s been a very impressive year for both, with Honor increasing its share by 13.2%, thanks in part to the rapturous reception of the Honor Magic6 Pro, while Huawei has more than doubled its lackluster 2023 performance in a whopping 110% increase. Those are some pretty impressive numbers.
However, we’re sure Apple executives are feeling some consternation after the publishing of this IDC report. Apple’s market share has fallen by 6.6% to 15.6%, which we’re sure Tim Cook and co are looking to rectify with the arrival of the iPhone 16 later this year. Still, it’s OPPO who are most hard done by in this report, with the data revealing the brand’s decline from first place to tying for third with Apple by way of a 15.5% market share drop.
In terms of the wider smartphone market in China, the numbers from the last twelve months point to a significant recovery, with a 6.5% increase in shipments across the industry. This is partially made up of a 4.8% increase for brands the IDC defines as ‘others’, as well as the surge of interest in both Honor and Apple devices.
So, what do all these numbers mean? Well, it suggests that Android is the top dog in China as it stands, with Apple struggling to compete with AI innovations from brands like Honor and others. This isn’t a massive shock, Apple’s foothold on the market has never been as strong in China as in the West. We’ll be keeping an eye out for any reports relating to the US market to see if there’s better news for Apple there.
There you have it, the news of Honor’s growth in China and Apple’s slight downturn from the latest IDC report on smartphone shipments. While you’re here, why not see what we made of Honor’s 2024 offerings with our Honor Magic6 Pro review and Porsche Design Honor Magic V2 RSR review, or see what the other Chinese brands are up to with our guides to the best Xiaomi phones and the best OnePlus phones.