Data from IDC recently highlighted that smartphone developer Huawei was in the top position for the Chinese smartphone market in 2025. This development represents the first time they have been at the top in five years, edging past Apple and Vivo, with overall shipments dipping slightly year-on-year.
Full-year shipments totalled 284.4 million, down from 286.2 million a year earlier.
Arthur Guo, senior research analyst for IDC China, noted with sharp increases in memory prices intensifying cost pressures on smartphone OEMs, the market is expected to experience a more noticeable decline this year.
Huawei led 2025 with a 16.4 per cent share, down from 16.6 per cent in 2024, as sales fell 1.9 per cent to 46.7 million units.
Apple’s shipments rose 4 per cent to 46.2 million, while Vivo’s dropped 6.6 per cent 46.1 million. Both had a 16.2 per cent share. Vivo was the market leader in 2024 with a 17.2 per cent share.
Xiaomi and Oppo saw shipments rise 4.3 per cent and 2.1 per cent, respectively, putting them in fourth and fifth places.
For Q4, shipments declined to 75.8 million units from 76.4 million in 2024.
Apple’s Q4 share rose to 21.3 per cent from 17.3 per cent, as shipments grew 21.5 per cent year-on-year to 16 million.
Vivo fell to second after shipping 8.8 per cent fewer units to 12 million, while Oppo moved to third from sixth after shipments increased 10.2 per cent to 11.6 million.
Huawei was fourth with a 14.7 per cent share, down from 16.3 per cent a year earlier. Its shipments dropped 10.3 per cent to 11.1 million units.
Source: Mobile World Live
Image Credit: Huawei
