Fast-rising Xiaomi has consolidated its position as the number one smartphone brand in China, selling 14.2 million units in Q1 and taking its share to 14 per cent.

Huawei and Apple were tied for second with 11 per cent shares and Samsung was fourth with a 10 per cent share, according to a report from IHS. Vivo was ranked fifth (with a 9 per cent share) and was followed by Lenovo (8 per cent).

Apple’s share has roughly doubled since Q3 when it launched the iPhone 6. Xiaomi and Huawei have been able to maintain or expand their shares over the past two quarters, but Samsung and Lenovo have suffered as iPhone sales have soared.

China is the largest smartphone market in the world, with 420.7 million units shipped in 2014, according to IDC. The market expanded 19 per cent year-on-year in Q4.

Xiaomi is now the fifth largest smartphone maker in the world, after briefly holding the third spot in Q3 before Lenovo acquired Motorola and Huawei gained share in Q4. Xiaomi’s shipments increased 186 per cent last year.

Last week Xiaomi launched its first handset outside of China at an event in New Delhi and claimed that India is its most important market this year and has plans to establish a startup, with local R&D and manufacturing. It aims to be the county’s largest handset maker by 2020.