A Challenging Year for Apple in China
According to a new analyst report from Counterpoint Research, Apple’s struggles in the Chinese market continued through 2024. Despite launching the iPhone 16, the company was unable to regain market share, which benefited local competitors.
In Q4 2024, Apple’s market share in China dropped to 17.1%, placing it in third position behind Huawei (18.1%) and Xiaomi (17.2%). This marks a significant change from Q4 2023, where Apple led the market with a 20.2% share, followed by Xiaomi (16%) and Huawei (15.2%). Samsung remains largely absent from the Chinese smartphone market.
2024: A Tough Year for Apple
Apple’s decline wasn’t limited to the fourth quarter. For the entire year of 2024, Apple slipped to fourth place with a 15.5% market share. Vivo led the market (17.8%), followed by Huawei (16.3%) and Xiaomi (15.7%). This represents a major shift from 2023, where Apple was the market leader with 17.9% share.
Huawei has emerged as a strong competitor, buoyed by a lineup of high-performing flagship models that have resonated with Chinese consumers, bolstered by a sense of patriotism.
Government Support for Local Brands
The Chinese government has intensified efforts to support domestic smartphone manufacturers. A national subsidy program was introduced in January 2025 to boost smartphone sales, particularly for local brands. This program is expected to show significant impact in Q1 2025.
Apple faces additional challenges in China. Although most iPhones are produced in the country, Apple is perceived as an American brand. The iPhone 16, which launched with Apple Intelligence in late 2024, failed to gain traction in China due to the unavailability of this feature in the region. Apple is still searching for a local partner to integrate a compatible language model, further hindering its progress.