Investing.com -- China's smartphone market experienced a decline in November 2024, with overall shipments falling 7.9% year-over-year to 24 million units, according to Macquarie, citing IDC data in a note Friday.
Macquarie said that while Android devices saw modest growth, iPhone shipments faced declines.
High-end Android smartphones remained a bright spot, showing double-digit growth, according to the firm.
Specifically, Android devices priced between $400 and $700 saw a 24% year-over-year increase in November, despite an overall 8% decline in Android volumes.
This was driven by strong demand in the high-end and low-end segments, the latter growing by 28% year-over-year.
In contrast, premium Android phones priced above $700 experienced a 50% decline due to delayed launches, notably Huawei’s Mate 70, and weak momentum for foldable devices.
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), holding the top spot in market share, saw its volume decrease by 7.6% year-over-year in November.
“Sales of the iPhone 16 series declined 2.3% YoY since launch with pro model sales mix reaching 70% vs. 58% last year,” Macquarie said.
Other key players like Honor and Vivo are said to have showed resilience. Honor's volume increased by 3% year-over-year, boosting its market share to 16.7%, thanks to the successful launch of the Magic 7 series.
Vivo's volume rose by 4.1% year-over-year, with its S20 and Neo 10 series driving growth. Meanwhile, Huawei's volume dropped 15% year-over-year due to delays, though it showed signs of recovery with new model releases in December.
Xiaomi (OTC:XIACF) and Oppo reportedly faced mixed results. Xiaomi's volume decreased by 26% year-over-year, despite the Mi 15 being the bestselling Android phone in November. Oppo's volume slightly dipped but saw a strong performance from its Find X8 and Reno 13 series.
Looking ahead, Macquarie forecasts a 7.2% growth in China's smartphone market for 2025, driven by AI flagship smartphones and consumer subsidies.