IDC: China Smartphone Market Grew 3.3% in 1Q25, Outperforming Global Growth Ahead of US-China Trade Tensions
BEIJING and NEEDHAM, Mass., April 17, 2025 – 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.”
“The China market continues to grow with Q1 marking the sixth consecutive quarter of growth,” said Arthur Guo, senior research analyst in Client System Research for IDC China. “Nevertheless, the subsidy level as well as complexity in the rollout process led to lower-than-expected demand from the consumers,” added Guo. Looking ahead, the market is expected to face challenges as the US-China trade tensions may lead to cost increases and tighter consumer budgets.”
About IDC Trackers
IDC Tracker products provide accurate and timely market size, company share, and forecasts for hundreds of technology markets from more than 100 countries around the globe. Using proprietary tools and research processes, IDC’s Trackers are updated on a semiannual, quarterly, and monthly basis. Tracker results are delivered to clients in user-friendly Excel deliverables and on-line query tools.
Click here to learn about IDC’s full suite of data products and how you can leverage them to grow your business.
About IDC
International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,300 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology, IT benchmarking and sourcing, and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC’s analysis and insight helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. Founded in 1964, IDC is a wholly owned subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world’s leading tech media, data, and marketing services company. To learn more about IDC, please visit idc.com /ap. Follow IDC on Twitter at @IDC and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the IDC Blog for industry news and insights.
Click here to learn about IDC’s full suite of data and research products and how you can leverage them to grow your business.