iPhone Becomes Top Smartphone in China for First Time in Six Years

[Black Magic]

Who knew banning Huawei would make this much of an impact. Complete surprise.

Well if they are working for the Chinese Government embedding spyware and modifying chips to snoop, they should be banned. You more worried about brand names from other countries than the security of your country?

 

[mprime_17]

VIVO grows one percent (18% --> 19%) but somehow it shows -6%? ?

 

[DelayedGratificationGene]

They look at brands? Most Chinese smartphone companies sell their smartphones under a few different brands. Honor for example is a brand of Huawei. And then there is BBK Electronics that uses the brands Oppo, Vivo, OnePlus, RealMe and others. Oppo and Vivo combined for example sell more smartphones than Apple worldwide.

Here is an example of a spinmaster..

 

[HalfFullmoon]

Well if they are working for the Chinese Government embedding spyware and modifying chips to snoop, they should be banned. You more worried about brand names from other countries than the security of your country?

Even if what you said was true - about Huawei working for the Chinese government, spying, which has not been proven - how is any of that relevant to phones sold outside U.S., specifically and ironically, phones sold in China?

I can now safely assume someone or group owning huge amount of Apple stocks was behind the ban. One has to follow the money. Sometimes (probably most times) it is the only rational explanation for irrational actions.

 

[Cosmosent]

I've seen multiple reports that Apple heavily-discounted the "13" iPhones in China to gain market share.

Does anybody know precisely how much Apple discounted the new iPhones ?

 

[sw1tcher]

I knew about the Google stuff, but not the 5G thing. Yeah, not having access to 5G would definitely be a killer.

Of those who can afford Huawei's flagship P50 Pro (no 5G), why get that when for a little more you can get an iPhone 13 Pro or 13 Pro Max?

Huawei P50 Pro
8GB RAM + 256GB = ¥6488 (~$1026 USD)
8GB RAM + 512GB = ¥7488 (~$1184 USD)
12GB RAM + 512GB = ¥7988 (~$1263 USD)

iPhone 13 Pro
128GB = ¥7999 (~$1265 USD)
256GB = ¥8799 (~$1392 USD)
512GB = ¥10399 (~$1645 USD)

iPhone 13 Pro Max
128GB = ¥8999 (~$1423 USD)
256GB = ¥9799 (~$1550 USD)
512GB = ¥11399 (~$1803 USD)

 

[Cycom]

Apple would sell their souls to satan if they could be the #1 phone in hell.

 

[now i see it]

Be like everyone else. Use an iPhone.

 

[TechRunner]

Of those who can afford Huawei's flagship P50 Pro (no 5G), why get that when for a little more you can get an iPhone 13 Pro or 13 Pro Max?

Huawei P50 Pro
8GB RAM + 256GB = ¥6488 (~$1026 USD)
8GB RAM + 512GB = ¥7488 (~$1184 USD)
12GB RAM + 512GB = ¥7988 (~$1263 USD)

iPhone 13 Pro
128GB = ¥7999 (~$1265 USD)
256GB = ¥8799 (~$1392 USD)
512GB = ¥10399 (~$1645 USD)

iPhone 13 Pro Max
128GB = ¥8999 (~$1423 USD)
256GB = ¥9799 (~$1550 USD)
512GB = ¥11399 (~$1803 USD)

In that context, it wouldn't make sense to go Huawei.

 

[_Spinn_]

Wow, very impressive numbers!

 

[webkit]

VIVO grows one percent (18% --> 19%) but somehow it shows -6%? ?

Vivo's MARKET SHARE was up 1%, not its sales. The growth numbers are comparing sales YoY and QoQ. A company can see a decline in sales while seeing an increase in market share and vice versa.

 

[webkit]

Even if what you said was true - about Huawei working for the Chinese government, spying, which has not been proven - how is any of that relevant to phones sold outside U.S., specifically and ironically, phones sold in China?

A big issue for Huawei was the ban or limit on use of software/apps/products from Google and other U.S. companies e.g., no Google Play Store, no YouTube, no Gmail, etc.

 

[nvmls]

Apple would sell their souls to satan if they could be the #1 phone in hell.

They have already

 

[wigby]

This site is about as objective as North Korean state media.

Do you think this Counterpoint Research report was authored by or paid for by MacRumors? Do tell.

Don't.

 

[hrMACnstuff]

everyone just gushing over a country nobody wants to move to. fascinating.

 

[ams1117]

Pretty amazing! That is why tomorrows quarterly results will be the best ever.

Where is Samsung in China?

Assuming you’re seriously asking why Samsung is doing terribly in China….

Back in Samsung’s glorious days in China they can be found everywhere. More or less after the Note 7, it rapidly declined to only the most hardcore Samsung fans. Partially because the way they treated their customers, distributors, and employees. Partially because their hardware offered nothing premium over the local competitors while asking for a significantly higher price. Also because the software lacked features that the market wants. But it all boils down to bad management. I think they replaced several key execs in China around 2015 and that’s when it all went downhill.

 

[Jetscreamer]

And yet the stock keeps falling. You just can’t please investors.

 

[Black Magic]

Even if what you said was true - about Huawei working for the Chinese government, spying, which has not been proven - how is any of that relevant to phones sold outside U.S., specifically and ironically, phones sold in China?

I can now safely assume someone or group owning huge amount of Apple stocks was behind the ban. One has to follow the money. Sometimes (probably most times) it is the only rational explanation for irrational actions.

When they were called out, I assume they lost a lot of money as the west abandoned that brand. I'm guessing the Chinese market sticks with whatever is hot, feature rich and affordable.

 

[Cycom]

They have already

Indeed they have but shhh don’t say anything here ?

 

[Ghobs]

Software blacklist means no Google Android updates, no access to Google Play store. But it's not just software. It's hardware too. If Huawei can't use the newest and fastest chips (like 5G), then what's the point in buying a Huawei smartphone? 5G is much more prevalent in China, and has been for several years now, unlike how it's starting to roll out in the U.S. now.

Not sure where you're getting that from, in fact the US ranks #1 in 5G availability (percent of users on 5G-capable devices who spent the majority of their time on 5G). China is #17 on that list.
https://www.speedtest.net/insights/...2/ookla_5g-availability_countries_1221-01.png

 

[HalfFullmoon]

When they were called out, I assume they lost a lot of money as the west abandoned that brand. I'm guessing the Chinese market sticks with whatever is hot, feature rich and affordable.

Chinese market sticks with brands made in China. This is why Samsung has trouble competing with Apple and Chinese brands. People are pretty nationalistic in what they buy, and that applies to not only those in the U.S.

A similar ban attempt was made on Xiaomi. But I believe the court overturned the ban. I expect Xiaomi to replace Huawei in terms of market share.

 

[zdunker]

Huawei literally crashed last quarter YOY. Wonder what drove that?

Honor was part of Huawei, they split last year for business concern.

 

[zdunker]

People are pretty nationalistic in what they buy, and that applies to not only those in the U.S.

I believe there is a yes-and-no answer for this. If Samsung somehow had a unique eco-system, or had some leading designs, I believe people would love to pay for it. However, it has nothing too special in Android Smartphone market, compare to other local Android smartphone brands, its HIGH pricing brings lower value, that's why the share of it is fading away recent years.

I personally believe high quality (both hardware and software) products is the essential drive, like Apple is doing its work well, it's hard to find a substitution for it, thus customers stick to it.

If the core competition of a brand is not high quality, then they could only win on another approach -- lower prices (like Vivo, Oppo, Xiaomi).

 

[HalfFullmoon]

I believe there is a yes-and-no answer for this. If Samsung somehow had a unique eco-system, or had some leading designs, I believe people would love to pay for it. However, it has nothing too special in Android Smartphone market, compare to other local Android smartphone brands, its HIGH pricing brings lower value, that's why the share of it is fading away recent years.

I personally believe high quality (both hardware and software) products is the essential drive, like Apple is doing its work well, it's hard to find a substitution for it, thus customers stick to it.

If the core competition of a brand is not high quality, then they could only win on another approach -- lower prices (like Vivo, Oppo, Xiaomi).

So are you saying that Huawei was/is of high quality, and that was reason it was beating Apple in China? Xiaomi was also banned, until spring 2021.

"Huawei has been the leading brand in China for some years, but its reign has finally come to an end. Last quarter, Huawei held a market share of 16% in China, down from a high of over 30% in Q2 2020."

Of course, this was due to U.S. software and hardware ban on Huawei. That is just playing dirty.

Huawei's market share in China has halved in under a year

Huawei's market share in China has halved in under a year. The brand is now the third-largest behind Vivo and Oppo, while Xiaomi and Apple are close behind.

www.phonearena.com

 

[zdunker]

So are you saying that Huawei was/is of high quality, and that was reason it was beating Apple in China? Xiaomi was also banned, until spring 2021.

Huawei's market share in China has halved in under a year

Huawei's market share in China has halved in under a year. The brand is now the third-largest behind Vivo and Oppo, while Xiaomi and Apple are close behind.

www.phonearena.com

My point is "the main reason a good product is gaining its profit is because its quality". I've never been a Huawei user, but I've used Android on Samsung, HTC and other brands. They all have some "features", but none have "highlights". Huawei was beating Apple in China in my point of view is because the second part of my statement -- its price.

The middle class in China is not the largest piece of smartphone market, if the statistics is being more precise, it should analyze these two in my opinion: "smartphone share in China market ($600-$1000)", "smartphone share in China market (under $600)". There we shall see the numbers better.

Now Honor is part ways with Huawei, taking the lower price market numbers out of Huawei, and statistics in that article shows the consequences.