According to the last report released by Counterpoint, smartphone shipments in China declined 11% year on year in the fourth quarter of 2021. However, Honor moved up to second place in total smartphone shipments for the first time, ranking #1 for Android devices.
Apple maintained its dominance in China, with a market share of more than 20%, but Honor’s momentum has continued into 2022, with the weekly share of Honor sales reaching a record high of 17% in January.
Vivo, OPPO, and Xiaomi were ranked third, fourth, and fifth respectively, each with 16% share.
With Huawei facing US sanctions in 2020, and the supply chain issues caused by the pandemic, Huawei sold Honor which became an independent company.
Since the independence of Honor, the supply chain recovered, and mid-to-high-end products such as the Honor 50 series have continued to explode. This established them as a sales leader for handsets in the price range of $200-$599 for five months after the launch.
Analysts believe the Android camp may continue to reclaim market share from Apple in the high-end market through 2022, as major smartphone brands continue to release competing flagship products.
