China’s Singles’ Day smartphone sales fell 9% year-over-year during the two-week sales event, reflecting cautious consumer spending amid ongoing economic challenges, according to data from Counterpoint Research. However, brand performances varied significantly, with Apple experiencing a sharp decline, while Huawei achieved a 7% growth.

Singles’ Day Market Trends and Brand Strategies

The Singles’ Day shopping festival, which spanned Weeks 44-45, saw domestic Chinese brands, excluding Huawei, aggressively releasing flagship models ahead of the sales period. This marked a departure from 2022, when only Xiaomi launched new flagships early. Despite the influx of devices, sales of older models were negatively impacted, contributing to the overall market slump.

Apple’s Struggles Amid Stiff Competition

Apple’s Singles’ Day sales dropped by double digits compared to the same period in 2023. While the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max emerged as the best-selling models during the event, they were unable to offset the surge in competitive offerings. Rivals, including Huawei, OPPO, and vivo, launched aggressively priced flagships with promotional backing, further pressuring Apple’s market share.

Huawei’s Resurgence and Market Leadership

Huawei recorded the highest growth among major brands, with a 7% year-over-year increase. The company’s success was fueled by price cuts on its Pura 70 and Mate 60 series, coupled with strong demand for its Nova 13 series, featuring the 5G Kirin chipset. This robust strategy positioned Huawei as a top performer in the Singles’ Day sales.

Success Stories Among Domestic Brands

Other Chinese smartphone makers also fared well during the event:

• OPPO (excluding OnePlus) posted a 6% year-over-year increase, driven by the budget-friendly A series, mid-range Reno 12, and premium Find X8 series.
• vivo saw a 5% sales growth, with strong performances from the affordable Y series and the newly launched X200 lineup.

Challenges for Xiaomi and Honor

Not all brands benefited from the shopping festival:

• Xiaomi experienced a 6% sales decline, despite a strong launch of its Xiaomi 15 series.
• Honor faced the steepest drop, with a 15% year-over-year decrease, largely due to heightened competition and a late release of its Magic 7 series.

(Sources: investing.com, reuters.com)