Huawei’s Mate 60 flagship series made a significant impact on the Chinese smartphone market last summer, powered by Huawei’s first home-grown 5G SoC, the Kirin 9000s. Despite facing challenges with U.S. export rules in previous years, Huawei managed to ship an impressive 30 million units of the Mate 60 line. This achievement sparked nationalistic pride in China and solidified Huawei’s position in the market.
On the other hand, Apple experienced a surprising 12% increase in iPhone shipments in China during March, despite initial concerns about competition from Huawei. Retailers had to adjust prices to drive this growth, which led to a rebound from a 37% decline in phone deliveries during the first two months of the year. Data from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology highlighted this positive trend for foreign-branded smartphones, mainly consisting of iPhone models.
While Apple reported an annual decline in sales for Greater China in its fiscal second quarter, CEO Tim Cook noted that iPhone sales specifically in mainland China saw growth during the same period. This increase was mentioned before adjustments related to supply chain disruptions caused by COVID-19.
Overall, both Huawei and Apple made significant strides in the Chinese smartphone market, showcasing their resilience and adaptability amidst changing industry dynamics. As we continue to monitor developments in this space, it will be interesting to see how these tech giants navigate future challenges and opportunities in telecommunications.
