From CNET: Apple is no longer king of the smartphone market in China, according to research firm Canalys.
For the second quarter of the year, local mobile phone vendor Xiaomi bounced back with an estimated market share of 15.9 percent to steal the top spot away from Apple. Fellow Chinese vendor Huawei grabbed second place with a 15.7 slice of the market. Demand for phones from both vendors pushed Apple down to third place after having been No. 1 for the last two quarters.
In the final quarter of 2014, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus helped Apple snag the top spot in China for the first time ever, according to Canalys, surpassing both Xiaomi and Huawei. Given that the retail price of the iPhone is greater than that of phones made by Chinese vendors, Canalys called this "an amazing result" at the time. Apple retained its dominant position in China for the first quarter of 2015, according to research firm International Data Corporation, with a market share of 14.7 percent and shipments of 14.5 million.
What's behind the change in ranks? The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are now around 10 months old, and Apple's next-generation iPhones are likely to be unveiled in September. Demand for the current lineup typically tends to decline with each new quarter. And Apple's second quarter (fiscal third quarter) is usually its weakest. Plus, the Chinese smartphone market has become more saturated and sluggish, leading to greater consolidation among the top vendors. Both Xiaomi and Huawei offer mid-level and higher-end phones at consumer-friendly prices.
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