Apple, a major player in the smartphone industry, is noticeably missing a foldable device from its product lineup. While competitors like Samsung, Xiaomi, Google, Oppo, Vivo, Huawei, and Honor have all introduced foldable phones, Apple has yet to do so. OnePlus is currently another exception, but it is expected to release a foldable phone next month. This absence of a foldable phone may have contributed to Apple losing its top position in China, which is the largest phone market in the world. According to a report by Canalys, Vivo emerged as the leading brand in China during the second quarter of 2023.
Canalys analyst Amber Liu stated, “The recently launched foldable phones, such as the Honor Magic V2, Vivo X Fold2, and Huawei Mate X3, have generated significant interest from both retailers and consumers due to their unique form factors and use cases.”
In China, smartphone shipments decreased by 5% year-on-year, according to Canalys estimates. In the second quarter of 2023, a total of 64.3 million units were shipped. Vivo claimed the top spot in China with an 18% market share by shipping 11.4 million units. Oppo, which includes OnePlus shipments, closely followed Vivo with an 18% market share. Canalys noted that Oppo’s success was driven by strong online performance and improved distribution capabilities. Apple, which was the leading brand in the previous quarter, had to settle for third place with a 16% market share and 10.4 million iPhones shipped. Honor shipped 10.3 million units and gained a 16% market share, while Xiaomi occupied the fifth spot with a 13% market share. Liu added that Apple and Huawei achieved impressive year-on-year growth with their flagship devices, indicating sustained high-end demand.
Canalys analyst Toby Zhu stated, “The smartphone market in Mainland China is entering a new stage of competition. The market is expected to recover moderately in the second half of 2023.”
