Apple's iPhone 8 And X Are Getting Chinese Android Users To Defect

Kantar Worldpanel ComTech released its November data for iOS and Android smartphone market shares this week. It tracks smartphone market share on a three month rolling average in multiple countries. While the iPhone’s market share in the US and Japan is less than a year ago it is significantly higher in China. On a month-to-month basis Apple has seen a strong rebound in market share driven by the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and X. I have Kantar data going back to September 2011 available via this Google Doc. (Note that I own Apple shares and have sold Put options).


Chinese customers test the new iPhone 7 during the opening sale launch at an Apple store in Beijing.


US share increased month to month but is lower than a year ago

The iPhone’s three month average market share in November was 39.8% which is less than November 2016’s 40.6%. However with the iPhone X not being available until November 3rd and in limited supply it probably won’t be until January that we get a true reading on how it stacks up on a year to year basis.

Dominic Sunnebo, Global Director for Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, wrote “In the USA, the iPhone X was outsold by the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus in the month of November but did round off the top three best-selling models for the month, easily beating the top Samsung model, the Galaxy S8, which is in sixth position.” From his comment other iPhone models may have occupied the fourth and fifth positions.

China market share on a path to an all-time high

The iPhone’s share in China came in at 24.3%, which is up from 19.7% a year ago and 17.4% in October. While the month-to-month increase isn’t a surprise what caught my eye is that 25.0% in January 2016 was the most recent high post the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus launch and the iPhone’s all-time market share high was 27.1% a month earlier in December 2015. With the delayed iPhone X launch and limited supply I would not be surprised to see the iPhone surpass its previous highs.

Regarding China Sunnebo wrote “the iPhone X was the top selling model in urban China in November, with a market share of 6.0%. Unlike in Europe and the US, where the vast majority of new early iPhone X sales came from existing Apple smartphone owners, in urban China there are significant numbers of Huawei, Xiaomi and Samsung customers switching to the new iPhone models, which they deem a cut above the rest.”