Xiaomi Usurps Samsung in Chinese Smartphone Sales, But Struggles to Please Users

The fight for dominance in the Chinese smartphone market is more intense than ever. Chinese manufactures are selling feature packed phones for cheap prices, and as a result, winning the customers that were once flocking to Samsung.

PC World reported that Xiaomi secured 15.9 percent of the Chinese smartphone market while Huawei had 15.7, leaving Apple in third place from April to Jun, 2015. These market share reports left Samsung out of the top three vendors, despite their launch of the flagship Galaxy S6. As local vendors offer a variety of cheaper options the Chinese smartphone market is broadening as consumers explore their options, but which brands do Chinese consumers actually like?

Though PC World reported that Xiaomi “regained its position as China’s leading smartphone vendor” in terms of market share, looking to delight (as calculated by analysis of consumer reviews from a major Chinese carrier) it is clear that Chinese consumers favor handsets from other brands. Samsung smartphones are consistently delighting consumers, despite the brand’s decline in attention. Huawei and Lenovo follow Samsung as the most well liked brands, leaving Huawei in a most favorable position. Huawei reportedly secured 15.7 percent of the Chinese smartphone market share and is currently receiving some of the most positive feedback from their users.

As local brands expand their offerings of cheaper handsets in the Chinese smartphone market, Samsung is losing attention, but customers continue to be delighted by their high end phones. Huawei is the brand to watch, as they are gaining attention, profits, and delight with increasing popularity of their higher end devices.

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