Apple's dominance in the high-end smartphone market is well-established, with each of its devices commanding a premium price and enjoying widespread popularity.

In recent years, domestic phone manufacturers have endeavored to challenge this dominance, aiming to compete with Apple. The allure of the high-end market lies in its potential for substantial profits, in contrast to the slim margins typically seen in the mid-to-low-end segments, where market share gains often do not translate into significant revenue.

This raises the question: how significant is the gap between domestic phones and Apple in the high-end market?

In the global arena, according to agency data, Apple holds a commanding 66% market share for phones priced above $600 (approximately RMB 4,340). Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi, and Google follow with market shares of 18%, 7%, 2%, and 1%, respectively. Collectively, domestic phone brands account for roughly 10% of the market, amounting to approximately one-sixth of Apple's share.

Shifting focus to the Chinese market, a stronghold for domestic phone makers, we observe how these brands fare in their home turf's high-end segment. In 2024, Apple held a 54% share of the market for phones priced above $600, followed by Huawei, Xiaomi, VIVO, Honor, and OPPO.

Huawei accounted for 29% of the market, while Xiaomi held 5%. Together, all domestic phone brands comprised only 46% of the market, falling short of Apple's individual share.

Despite this, it's worth noting that Apple's share in the high-end market has been on a decline in recent years. In 2022, the peak year, Apple held 75% of the market, while Huawei, due to well-documented reasons, only managed 12%. In 2023, however, with the release of the Huawei Mate60 series, Huawei regained some ground, increasing its share to 20%. Xiaomi also made inroads, expanding its presence in the high-end market, while Apple's share dipped under pressure from domestic brands like Huawei and Xiaomi.

Nevertheless, domestic phone brands still have a considerable distance to cover in the high-end market, both domestically and internationally. There is ample room for improvement and growth.

The high-end smartphone market remains a crucial battleground for phone makers, and it is hoped that domestic brands will continue to strive and innovate to close the gap with Apple.