By : Basel Khaled

While Samsung and Apple continue to dominate the smartphone market, their Chinese rivals Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo have made significant strides over the years, now capturing a substantial share of global smartphone sales.

According to data presented by AltIndex.com, the top three Chinese smartphone vendors have collectively shipped over 180 million units in the first half of 2024, or 14% more than in the same period last year.

Xiaomi Shipments Jumped by 30% YoY, the Biggest Increase Among the Top Three Vendors

There are many reasons why Chinese smartphone sales have skyrocketed over the years, both domestically and internationally. For a start, China is the leader in 5G deployment, and Chinese smartphone brands are at the forefront of offering 5G-enabled devices.

Also, Chinese smartphone manufacturers like Huawei, Xiaomi, and Oppo are known for their aggressive pricing, offering high-specification phones at lower prices, which makes them especially attractive in emerging markets where cost is a significant factor. Furthermore, brands like Xiaomi have built strong ecosystems integrating smartphones with other smart devices, which many users welcomed as a big plus. 

Finally, tensions between China and some Western countries have shifted consumer preference towards domestic brands in the gigantic Chinese market, significantly driving Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo smartphone sales. As a result, the three smartphone vendors have shipped much more devices in H1 2024 than in the same period last year.

According to IDC Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker data, between January and June 2024, Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo shipped over 180 million smartphones worldwide, or 21 million more than in the same period last year.  Xiaomi saw the biggest shipments growth. During the six months of the year, the Chinese number one smartphone manufacturer sold 83.1 million devices, or 30% more than in H1 2023. Vivo shipments increased by 10%, rising from 42.5 million to 46.7 million. The IDC data show Oppo was the only loser among the top three Chinese smartphone brands, with its shipments falling by 3% year-over-year to 51 million in H1 2024.

Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo Generate 31% of Total Smartphone Sales

With over 180 million devices shipped in the year's first half, Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo now make up 31.3% of the total smartphone sales, or 1.3% more than in H1 2023. At the same time, the two largest smartphone brands, Samsung and Apple, continue losing their market shares due to surging Chinese competition.

According to IDC, with over 209 million shipped units combined, Samsung and Apple generated 36% of the global smartphone sales in the first half of the year, or 4% less than in the same period a year ago, when they shipped almost 214 million devices.