In a surprising turn of events, Huawei’s HarmonyOS has made substantial inroads into China’s smartphone market, posing a serious challenge to Android’s long-standing dominance. According to the latest report from TechInsights, HarmonyOS’s market share surged from 13% to 15% in Q3 2024, while Android’s share dipped from 72% to 70%.
This isn’t the first time, though; in Q1 2024, Huawei surpassed iOS in market share for the first time. Back then, however, it was still part of the Android ecosystem.
HarmonyOS Gains Momentum
This growth can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, Huawei‘s aggressive push towards self-reliance, particularly after US sanctions, has led to significant investments in developing HarmonyOS. Secondly, the recent launch of HarmonyOS Next, a fully independent OS that no longer relies on Android apps, has further solidified its position. Thirdly, the growing ecosystem of native HarmonyOS apps and services, including a highly anticipated Harmony-native version of WeChat, has made the OS more attractive to users.
While Apple‘s iOS maintained a steady 15% share, it’s clear that the Chinese smartphone market is witnessing a three-way battle between iOS, Android, and HarmonyOS. This shift has significant implications for the global tech industry, as it demonstrates the potential for alternative operating systems to challenge the established duopoly.
In terms of smartphone shipments, China remains the world’s largest single market, with a 3% year-over-year increase in Q3 2024. Vivo continued to lead the market with a 19% share, followed closely by Xiaomi and Oppo/OnePlus, each with a 15.5% share. Honor, Huawei, and Apple rounded out the top six, each with a market share of around 15%.
As competition among China’s top six smartphone manufacturers intensifies, market concentration is on the rise, creating challenges for smaller brands. However, the recovery of China’s smartphone market signals strong demand and a more stable replacement cycle.
With its rapid adoption and expansion, HarmonyOS is positioned to reshape China’s smartphone ecosystem, especially as Huawei continues to roll out Harmony-native apps and services tailored to the Chinese market. It remains to be seen whether HarmonyOS can sustain its momentum and further erode Android’s market share in the coming quarters.
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