Apple may become the largest smartphone vendor – overtaking Xiaomi — in China in the second half of this year, said Strategy Analytics.

“Apple iPhone 6 and 6 Plus smartphone models are proving popular with Chinese consumers and, if current trends continue, Apple could become China’s largest smartphone vendor in the second half of this year,” said Strategy Analytics.

Apple has already captured 12.3 percent share in the smartphone market in China against Xiaomi’s 12.8 percent. The difference in smartphone market share between Xiaomi and Apple is 0.5 percent.

While smartphone share of Xiaomi did not grow from 12.8 percent from Q4 2014, Apple grew its share to 12.3 percent from 10.9 percent in Q4 2014 and 8.3 percent in Q1 2014.

China smartphone shipments grew 17 percent annually to 110 million units in the first quarter of 2015 from 93.6 million units in Q1 2014, said Strategy Analytics.

Xiaomi shipped 14 million smartphones and captured 12.8 percent market share in China during Q1 2015 against 11.3 percent a year earlier.

Xiaomi has maintained the number one smartphone position in China for three quarters in a row, due to solid demand for its Redmi models.

Xiaomi’s rapid growth is now coming to an end, and it has delivered negative sequential growth in China for the past two quarters.
Apple is growing swiftly in China at the moment. Apple shipped 13.5 million iPhones in China during Q1 2015, holding its ranking as the number two smartphone vendor for the second straight quarter.

Huawei has shipped 11.2 million smartphones and held on to third position with 10 percent market share in China in Q1 2015 against 8.5 percent a year ago. The Mate7, Ascend P6 and Honor series are among the main smartphone models driving Huawei’s growth.

Huawei has significantly improved its product design and expanded its online retail presence in China this year.

Baburajan K
[email protected]