LONDON -- According to Omdia’s latest research, mainland China’s smartphone market declined 3% year on year in 3Q25. The market remains in an adjustment phase, while competition among leading vendors has intensified, with shipment gaps between the top players continuing to narrow. vivo regained the top spot with shipments of 11.8 million units, accounting for an 18% market share. Huawei followed closely in second place with 10.5 million units and a 16% share. Apple maintained its strong momentum from the previous quarter, shipping 10.1 million units and moving up two places year on year to rejoin the top three. Xiaomi shipped 10.0 million units, ranking fourth, while OPPO followed with 9.9 million units to round out the top five.

“Although the market has contracted for two consecutive quarters, the narrowing decline indicates that the shipment fluctuations triggered by the government subsidy program at the beginning of the year are coming to an end, with the market gradually returning to normal,” said Lucas Zhong, Analyst at Omdia. “A more cautious shipment pace has allowed vendors to maintain healthier inventory levels, paving the way for an active Q4 driven by flagship launches, the Double 11 shopping season, and a potential new round of subsidies. At the same time, vendors are also making longer-term strategic moves. Since the launch of the Pura X earlier this year, Huawei has preinstalled HarmonyOS 5.0 across its major new models. While this transition poses short-term challenges in software optimization and user experience, consistent execution will likely strengthen Huawei’s ecosystem moat, particularly in an increasingly saturated market.”

“Major vendors refreshed their entry-level and mid-range product lines in Q3. Amid rising component prices, these upgrades have become more targeted and pragmatic,” he added. “The HONOR X70, Redmi Note 15 Pro, vivo Y500, and OPPO A6 all share a common direction - equipped with large 7000mAh+ batteries and improved water, dust, and drop resistance. These enhancements not only leverage advances in battery technology but also directly address mass market consumers’ core concerns about durability and battery life.”

“Despite recent corrections, Omdia forecasts that mainland China’s smartphone shipments will achieve modest growth in 2025, supported by ongoing subsidy programs,” said Hayden Hou, Principal Analyst at Omdia. “Local vendors are pursuing differentiation through design, battery capacity, and camera performance, while expanding AI-driven features and use cases to enhance user experience. Chinese consumers remain among the most receptive globally to AI-capable smartphones. The innovation and technological progress seen in mainland China’s market will continue to serve as a valuable reference for domestic brands as they strengthen their product capabilities and AI competitiveness overseas.”