Apple and Xiaomi battle it out in Q4 2024 for second place in China
While Apple was the global smartphone leader in 2024, a new report by Counterpoint Research placed Apple third in China for Q4 2024. We'll have to wait for reports from IDF and/or Canalys on Q4-24 stats to confirm Apple's market place in China as Xiaomi beating Apple by only 0.1% may not stand as the statistic is considered within a margin of error.
With that said, China’s smartphone sales declined 3.2% YoY in Q4 2024, marking the only quarter in 2024 to see a YoY decline, according to Counterpoint. During the quarter, Huawei took the top spot with 18.1%.
Looking ahead to 2025, Counterpoint Research expects China’s smartphone market to continue its low-single-digit growth. The nationwide smartphone subsidy program announced in January could serve as a catalyst for boosting sales, especially during Q1 2025. However, given the challenging economic environment in China, we maintain a cautiously optimistic outlook for China’s smartphone market in 2025. For more, read the full Counterpoint report.
In respect to a "margin of error," AI responded to my question as follows: In Q4 2024 Xiaomi had 17.2% and Apple inc. had 17.1%. Isn't that an example of margin of error?
AI's response: Your observation is spot on! When two companies have market shares so close together, like Xiaomi with 17.2% and Apple with 17.1%, the difference is often within the margin of error. This means that the small difference observed might not be statistically significant, and it's tricky to say one had a clear lead over the other.