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China becomes the world's biggest smartphone market in Q3, outgrows the US

Posted: , by Victor H.

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China becomes the world's biggest smartphone market in Q3, outgrows the US
You might think of the US as probably the most advanced smartphone market with one of the world’s first and biggest 4G LTE networks, but looking at things in volume, the Chinese smartphone market is already beating the US one. Strategy Analytics estimates that the world’s largest country in terms of population registered 23.9 million smartphones shipped in the third quarter, while for the US that number stood at 23.3 million.

Now, we have to also mention that China has nearly four times as much population as the US, but nonetheless it’s impressive to see the quick growth of the Asian market. 23.9 milllion smartphones is just scratching the surface of the future, as reports point out that in May 2012 China could reach 1 billion mobile connections.

The biggest winner in China is Nokia. The brand still enjoys tremendous popularity in the Asian country. It sold 6.8 million smartphones in the third trimester, with the closest runner-up being Samsung with sales of 4.2 million. Together, the two companies capture nearly half of China’s smartphone market - 46.1% to be exact.

Another huge factor for smartphone growth in China is the onslaught of affordable Android handsets including devices from the country’s big phone makers like ZTE. Add to this carrier subsidies, and you’ve got the fuel for smartphone adoption growth in China.

The market however is very different from the one in the US or Western Europe. Smartphone sales in the States for example were dominated by HTC and Apple, which sell high-end devices.



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1. android_hitman posted on 23 Nov 2011, 04:34 1 1

you will BS me now but China's economic growth is due mainly because of US...

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12. downphoenix posted on 23 Nov 2011, 14:56 1

yep, because we buy their cheap chinese product.

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2. jenulad posted on 23 Nov 2011, 04:51 3 3

"Smartphone sales in the States for example were dominated by HTC and Apple" I think it should be HTC and Samsung

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3. ore123 posted on 23 Nov 2011, 06:12 1

samsung did make many smartphone .. but only a few of them were sold in the States

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4. erwinkendo posted on 23 Nov 2011, 06:42 1

This is a shock, because from my experience, the ZTE phones are not very good, I would even say they have poor performance and stetics when compared with other makers phones in each line (value and smartphone alike).
Really surprising.

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8. remixfa posted on 23 Nov 2011, 08:49 2

put it in perspective. most people in china are dirt poor compared to even the poorest people in america. the people that work for apple cant afford to buy the product. their only choice is cheap smart phones.

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9. taco50 (banned) posted on 23 Nov 2011, 12:02 1 1

Apple doesn't employee anyone in China. They subcontract.


Same people make products for Dell, Amazon, Motorola etc


Stop with the half truths.

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14. jabrecer posted on 23 Nov 2011, 17:26

taco... can you explain what are those half truths?
remixfa said 3 different things:
1) most people in china are dirt poor compared to even the poorest people in america.
2) the people that work for apple cant afford to buy the product.
3) their only choice is cheap smart phones.
for me three of them are 100% truth.
BTW, he never mentioned people that work "under salary, in their payroll, etc" for apple...
See... the company where I work at, also subcontracted my son... but he is very proud when he mentions that he WORKS for this company... nobody cares legal stuff...
See, the main topic here was this one: "Another huge factor for smartphone growth in China is the onslaught of affordable Android handsets"
remixfa just added extra information to this topic... but you, taco50, you're living in different planet, very dark... reading you comments is feeling your sorrow...

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11. blaze456 posted on 23 Nov 2011, 12:45

so does that mean t mobile would do good in china since price is their strategy??

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5. networkdood posted on 23 Nov 2011, 07:53 2

Well, China does have 3 times plus the population of the U.S. and the U.S. is already saturated with cell phone users, so it makes sense...

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6. BattleBrat posted on 23 Nov 2011, 08:36 1

If memory serves, China's telephone infrastructure is mostly wireless (they use cell phones) I envy them for that.....

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7. remixfa posted on 23 Nov 2011, 08:48 2

soo.. china's biggest android supplier is samsung huh.. hmm... Q1 2012 is lookin might fine right now :)

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10. taco50 (banned) posted on 23 Nov 2011, 12:05 1

Apple will be the biggest winner in China. They're one of the most desired products there. I expect record sales. The economy is improving there so the appetite for off market knock offs (Samsung) will die off.

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13. downphoenix posted on 23 Nov 2011, 14:59

maybe if Apple drops the prices. An unsubsidized Iphone still costs a significant portion of an average chinese worker's yearly salary, whereas it is not the case in places like Europe and US.

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15. speckledapple posted on 24 Nov 2011, 02:31

Simply not surprised because they have many many more people we do. However, compare the smartphone penetration and its a difference. Either way, China will most likely become the worlds largest for everything until India catches up. We just do not have enough people and never will eclipse them. Not a surprise.

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