South Korean media: A 50% plunge in foreign mobile phone shipments in China in March! On June 12, South Korean media "Global Economy" published an article stating that the position of foreign mobile phones in the Chinese market is rapidly shrinking. Statistics show that the shipment volume of foreign smartphones, including Apple's iPhone, in China fell by nearly half compared to the same period last year. Analysis suggests that the combined effect of growing patriotic consumption and the rise of domestic brands has left foreign products in a difficult situation overall. Data released by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology shows that the total shipment volume of foreign brand phones was 1.887 million units in March. This is a 49.6% reduction compared to 3.747 million units during the same period last year. The China Academy of Information and Communications Technology did not disclose detailed shipment volumes for each brand, but industry insiders believe that the decline in Apple's shipments is one of the main reasons. Although iPhone has always been popular in China, its market share has been continuously declining recently. In recent years, domestic brands such as OPPO, vivo, Xiaomi, and Huawei have quickly captured the Chinese smartphone market through their technical strength and price competitiveness. Especially since the end of last year, Huawei has launched new models equipped with self-developed high-performance semiconductor chips, targeting the premium smartphone market, intensifying its competition with Apple. The "patriotic consumption" atmosphere is also having an impact, creating a trend in China to prioritize the use of domestic brands. Analysis indicates that this trend is not just about price competitiveness; it is disadvantageous for foreign brands. Market research company IDC stated in a report released last month that "Apple's shipments in China dropped by more than 10% in the first quarter of 2025," adding that "Huawei's return and the growth of competitive brands in China are the main factors behind the decline in iPhone sales." In fact, since the second half of last year, Apple's market share in China has been declining, and the "preference for domestic products" seems to be becoming increasingly apparent, especially among young consumers. Meanwhile, the proportion of foreign brands in China's total mobile phone shipments is gradually decreasing. In recent years, China's annual mobile phone shipments have slightly decreased, reaching 260 million units in 2023, but the share of domestic brands is expanding. A South Korean industry insider said, "In the long term, this will not only burden Apple but also other foreign brands like Samsung Electronics. We need to readjust our reliance on the Chinese market." [Image URL] Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1833780534486024/ Disclaimer: The article solely represents the author's personal views.