iPhone captured 23% of the market

Apple in the 4th quarter of 2021 for the first time in many years ranked first in smartphone sales in China, thanks in large part to tough US sanctions that led to a reduction in the supply of former market leader Huawei. The last time Apple was considered the top-selling smartphone brand in China was in late 2015, right after the release of the iPhone 6 series, which gained popularity due to the large screen of the iPhone 6 Plus - 5.5 inches diagonally.

In the fourth quarter of 2021, the Cupertino-based company had a 23% share of the world's largest mobile device market, according to Counterpoint research group, the largest market share it has ever had in the country. The study also reports that sales of Apple's iPhone 13 have outpaced those of China's flagship brands Vivo, Oppo and Vivo.

While Apple's smartphone shipments in China grew by 32% to 50 million in the last quarter of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, Huawei's sales fell by 73%, while total smartphone sales in China fell by 9% due to a shortage of chips and an economic downturn. Analyst Mengmeng Zhang cited the lower starting price of smartphones in China and the impact of US sanctions against Huawei, a major competitor in the high-end segment, as factors in Apple's success.

Washington's sanctions have forced Huawei to sell its budget brand Honor to a consortium of 40 companies backed by the Chinese government and refocus its business, which was previously based on smartphones.

Overall, in 2021, Apple ranked third among the best-selling smartphone brands in China, with a market share of 16%. First and second place went to Vivo and Oppo, two Android smartphone brands owned by private company BBK Electronics, with market shares of 22% and 21%, respectively.