IDC: China’s smartphone market fell in Q2 2025, Huawei is first again

In the second quarter of 2025, smartphone sales in China fell by 4% compared to the same period last year – this is the first decline in one and a half years of continuous growth. Nevertheless, it was at this moment that Huawei managed to take first place in the market for the first time in more than four years. According to IDC, the company’s share was 18.1%.

Positions in the smartphone ranking

During the quarter, Huawei shipped about 12.5 million devices, which is 3.4% less than a year earlier. Analysts attribute this decline not so much to a decline in interest in the brand’s products as to the general difficulties of the industry. Despite the sanctions, the company managed to maintain stability thanks to logistics optimization and strong positions in China.

In second and third places are Vivo and Oppo. Xiaomi was the only manufacturer in the top 5 to show sales growth, while Apple retained fifth place with a share of 13.9%, largely due to subsidized versions of the iPhone 16.

Experts note that Huawei is betting on the promotion of its own HarmonyOS NEXT ecosystem and 5G solutions, which strengthens its position against the backdrop of a slowdown in global supplies. For Android manufacturers, this is a worrying signal – internal competition in China is intensifying, and Huawei, actively cooperating with local component suppliers, is gaining the opportunity to dictate the terms.

It is expected that by the end of 2025, competition will shift towards niche segments – complex devices, advanced cameras, individual chips. Vivo and Oppo are already working on response steps, and Xiaomi is strengthening its presence in the budget category, betting on affordability in conditions of cautious consumer behavior.

The question remains: will Huawei maintain its lead, or will its rivals find a way to catch up by offering new standards in features and prices?