Canalys: China smartphone market grows in Q1, Xiaomi and Huawei lead the way

The Chinese smartphone market grew by 5% in Q1, 2025. A total of 70.9 million smartphones were shipped in the country during the January–March period, according to Canalys estimates, with Xiaomi and Huawei leading the way. Xiaomi saw an impressive 40% annual growth in shipment numbers and now controls 19% of the market. The brand expanded on its synergy between its ecosystem products and was also favored by China’s nationwide device subsidy program.

China’s device subsidy program went into effect on January 8, 2025. The subsidy provides a one-time discount covering up to 15% of the device’s retail price. The program covers smartphones, tablets, smart bands, and smartwatches priced below CNY 6,000 ($820) and is capped at CNY 500 ($68) per product. Premium models, including flagships and foldable smartphones, are exempt from the program.

Huawei was the second leading brand in China with 18% market share and 12% annual growth in device shipments. The brand continued to see robust demand for its smartphones. The foldable Mate XT and Pura X also generated buzz around the brand. HarmonyOS Next is also expanding, which is now rumored to account for 3% of all smartphones in China.

Canalys Smartphone Analysis (sell-in shipments), April 2025

Oppo and vivo each accounted for 15% of the Chinese market while Apple rounded out the top five with its 13% market share. DeepSeek and the growing list of AI utilities have also caught consumers’ attention, with an estimated 22% of all shipped phones now being AI-capable. Canalys estimates the figure to reach 40% by the year’s end.

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