China Smartphone Market Grew 3.3% in 1Q25, Outperforming Global Growth Ahead of US-China Trade Tensions
April 17, 2025 | IDCEstimated reading time: Less than a minute
According to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, China's smartphone market shipped 71.6 million units in 1Q25, a 3.3% year-on-year (YoY) increase. This growth was driven by the government subsidies that extended to smartphones in January 2025, as well as the peak sales season of the Spring Festival. The market outperformed the global growth of 1.5% but came below IDC’s projections as the effect of the government subsidies on bolstering existing consumer demand appeared to be modest.
"The US-China tensions have fueled unsettling news, but the silver lining is that the first quarter’s growth gave market players a better position to deal with any challenges in the rest of the year," said Will Wong, senior research manager for Client Devices at IDC Asia/Pacific. "Xiaomi stood out as it regained the top spot after nearly a decade, a resurgence largely fueled by government subsidies that resonated with its value-conscious customer base, " added Wong. "Apple, on the other hand, declined as its premium pricing structure prevented it from capitalizing on the subsidies."
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