• Over the past few years, China’s smartphone market has undergone a notable shift towards premiumization, with the $600 and above segment’s share growing to 28% in 2024 from 11% in 2018.

• Huawei, a major driver of this trend, saw its share increase to 29% in the segment – the largest among all Chinese OEMs.

• Other Chinese OEMs also intensified their efforts to capture a larger share of the premium market, with their collective share rising to 15% in 2024 from 5% in 2020.

• Meanwhile, Apple's market share declined to 54% in 2024.

• In the $400-$600 price band, a critical segment that fuels future demand for upgrades to $600 and above, Chinese OEMs further solidified their dominance, underscoring a clear consumer preference for domestic brands over international ones.

China’s premium ($600 and above) smartphone segment’s sales share surged to 28% of the total market in 2024, from 11% in 2018, according to Counterpoint’s latestSmartphone Model Sales Tracker. China’s smartphone market has seen a notable shift towards premiumization since 2017, a trend that accelerated after the US ban on Huawei.

Apple and Huawei have long dominated China’s premium smartphone market. In 2024, the two giants collectively accounted for 83% of total sales in this segment. Huawei has seen a resurgence since 2023 after the brand returned with its 5G Kirin chipset, while Apple’s market share fell to 54% in 2024.

Huawei’s resurgence reflects a major breakthrough in China’s supply chain ecosystem, which has enabled the brand to regain its competitive edge. In 2024, Huawei’s share in the premium segment climbed to 29% from 20% in 2023 – the biggest increase among all Chinese OEMs. This was supported by the expansion of Huawei’s 5G Kirin chipset across more new models such as the Pura series and Nova 13 series. This expansion helped Huawei record a remarkable 37% YoY growth in overall sales volume in 2024, with the premium segment growing even faster at 52% YoY.

Meanwhile, other major Chinese OEMs have also intensified their efforts to capture a larger share of the premium market, particularly after the US ban opened up new opportunities. Their collective share rose from 5% in 2020 to 15% in 2024. Notably, in 2024, brands like Xiaomi and vivo recorded about 50% YoY growth in the premium segment. However, their overall volume remains relatively small compared to Apple and Huawei, and the journey toward establishing a strong foothold in the premium market remains long and challenging, requiring continuous innovation and consistency in navigating intense competition.

Chinese OEMs further solidified their dominance in the $400-$600 price band, a critical segment that fuels future demand for upgrades to the $600 and above segment. These Chinese OEMs increased their collective share from 89% in 2023 to 91% in 2024, underscoring a clear consumer preference for domestic brands over international ones, as domestic OEMs offer smartphones that are not only more affordable but also deliver robust performance.

Looking ahead, the premiumization trend in China's smartphone market is expected to continue. As competition intensifies, OEMs will need to focus on product innovation, localization, and brand differentiation to succeed in this rapidly evolving market.