Data from Counterpoint Research showed China’s smartphone sales continued to fall during Q3, with the company stating demand was not likely to improve until late 2023 due to uncertainties stemming from the country’s Covid-19 (coronavirus) policy and a weakening economy.

Sales fell 12.4 per cent year-on-year due to weak consumer demand, the sixth consecutive annual drop.

Apple and Honor were the only vendors in the top five to register growth and gain market share.

Sales of iPhones grew 6.8 per cent, boosting Apple’s market share 2.8 percentage points to 15.3 per cent and moving it into fourth place ahead of Xiaomi.

Honor’s share rose to 17.2 per cent from 14.7 per cent in Q3 2021, as sales increased 2.5 per cent.

Market leader Vivo, Oppo and Xiaomi all recorded double-digit declines in sales and drops in market share.

Last week, IDC reported Q3 smartphone shipments in China declined 11.9 per cent to 71.1 million units.

Arthur Guo, senior market analyst at IDC China, stated a recovery is unlikely in the short term due to Covid-19 (coronavirus) cases and “unfavourable domestic and global economic conditions”.