According to newly released data on Friday, Apple became the market leader in smartphone shipments to China last year, despite fierce competition from regional players such as Huawei, which was making a comeback.
According to industry data provider Canalys, the US tech giant held a 19% market share in the second-largest economy globally.
Apple had a great year in China last year, following 2022 sales that were negatively impacted by factories cutting back on production due to the nation’s zero-Covid policy.
In addition, Beijing’s hardening of its stance toward the company coincides with its display, as rivalry between China and the United States in technology grows.
Due to worries about data security, staff members at a few Chinese government agencies reportedly received instructions last year not to use iPhones for work.
Although reports had revealed “security incidents relating to Apple mobile phones,” the foreign ministry insisted in September that there was no such ban.
Apple CEO Tim Cook claimed that his company had a “symbiotic” relationship with China when on a visit to Beijing in March.
Three local manufacturers—Vivo, Oppo, and Honor—had yearly smartphone shipment market shares of 16 percent in China last year, trailing only Apple.
The Shenzhen-based tech giant Huawei, which was previously the subject of severe sanctions levied by Washington due to concerns that Beijing might use its equipment for espionage, also saw a resurgence last year.
According to Canalys research analyst Lucas Zhong, “Huawei has become the biggest dark horse (in the 4th quarter), returning to the top five league table of Mainland China’s smartphone market after 10 quarters.”
In August, Huawei unveiled the Mate 60 Pro smartphone, which is driven by a cutting-edge chip made in the country, while US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo was in Beijing.
The new product spurred discussion about the efficacy of Washington’s attempts to rein in China’s technological advancements.
According to Canalys, Huawei recorded a 47 percent yearly growth in smartphone shipments in the fourth quarter of the previous year, while Apple’s growth was only six percent.
According to the report, Honor’s fourth-quarter shipments decreased 4% year over year, while Vivo’s declined 11%.
