By Che Pan and Laurie Chen BEIJING, April 17 (Reuters) - Apple's iPhone shipments surged 20% in China in the first quarter, for the strongest growth among major vendors, despite an overall decline as
Apple's iPhone shipments in China surge 20% in Q1, data shows
Apple and Huawei Defy Market Downturn in China
By Che Pan and Laurie Chen
BEIJING, April 17 (Reuters) - Apple's iPhone shipments surged 20% in China in the first quarter, for the strongest growth among major vendors, despite an overall decline as rising prices of memory chips boosted costs, data from Counterpoint Research showed.
Market Overview and Shipment Trends
Overall smartphone shipments dropped 4% in the world's largest smartphone market in the period from January to March, hit by supply chain disruptions and the soaring chip prices.
Apple and Huawei Outperform Rivals
But telecoms giant Huawei and Apple, the two largest vendors in the market, bucked the trend, reporting growth of 2% and 20% respectively.
Apple's Value Proposition
"As most rivals raise prices, Apple stands out for value, with Chinese consumers knowing its products last at least three years," Ivan Lam, senior analyst at Counterpoint Research.
Huawei's Strong Demand
Huawei's shipments were lifted by strong demand across both its high-end and budget ranges, including the Enjoy 90 series, giving it a 20% market share in the quarter, Lam said.
Huawei retained the top spot, followed by Apple with a share of 19%.
Challenges for Other Vendors
Smartphone vendors in China have raised prices for budget handsets to protect margins in the battle with elevated memory chip costs.
Xiaomi's Decline
Xiaomi slipped to sixth place with a plunge of 35% in shipments. Lam attributed the sharp decline to a high base effect, after Xiaomi benefited from aggressive price cuts and government subsidies in the corresponding period last year.
Oppo, Honor, and Vivo Performance
Shipments by Oppo and Honor also fell 5% and 3% respectively, though Vivo saw a rise of 2%, buoyed by strong sales during the Lunar New Year holiday.
Outlook for the Coming Quarters
Lam expected more headwinds for the market in the second quarter, particularly as Chinese brands look to raise prices further.
Apple and Huawei's Prospects
"However, we expect Apple and Huawei to fare relatively better, with Huawei potentially seeing further shipment growth driven by solid demand for its lower-end devices," Lam said.
(Reporting by Che Pan and Laurie Chen; Editing by Miyoung Kim and Clarence Fernandez)
