Huawei
Huawei smartphone sales grew 19% in Q1 2025, fueled by Chinese subsidies
Huawei outperformed several rivals in the Chinese smartphone sales segment for Q1 2025. The company secured the top position in the first quarter of this year following the fruitful sales of its innovative AI-powered devices.
Counterpoint has now released a graph showing the progress of different smartphone brands in the Chinese device sales field from Q4 2023 to Q1 2025.
Amid several brands, Huawei grabbed the top rank with a hike of 19% in Q1 2025 Chinese smartphone sales market. The company jumped 2% from the previous quarter (17% in Q4 2024) and continues to lead the premium phone segment.
The report reveals that Chinese subsidies have been the main driver of Huawei’s smartphone sales growth this time. Many Huawei devices, from the flagship Pura 70 series to the entry-level Enjoy phones, received extra discounts due to subsidies.
China has a specific subsidy scheme for digital products, including tablets, smartphones, and wearables. This program aims to boost device sales and offer a particular discount (say a 15% subsidy – 500 yuan drop on a 6000 yuan device) per category.
Huawei smartphone sales grew 19% in Q1 2025 (Image Credits: Counterpoint)
Apart from Huawei, Xiaomi is another brand that has benefited the most from the subsidy program. Both brands witnessed a jump of 18% to 40% year-on-year.
iPhone maker saw a significant drop in sales compared to Q4 2023, from 21% to 15%. Even though Apple did well in the last quarter, it lagged due to heavy competition from Chinese rivals in its second-largest market.
Counterpoint notes that the overall Chinese smartphone shipments have grown by 5% YoY in the first quarter of this year, thanks to the subsidy program that boosted holiday season sales.
Several brands are planning new launches by the end of Q2 2025. The mid-year sales still seem to have the potential to lift shipments. Although the market may grow at a smaller rate this year, following the US-China tech tensions.
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