China's smartphone sales fell 13 percent, the lowest level in a decade, as COVID 19 restrictions and a slow economy curbed consumer demand in 2022.
The total number of devices shipped was 286 million, a decrease from 329 million in 2022, the lowest figure since 2013 and the first period when annual sales fell below 300 million.
As consumer spending became conservative, the strict control policy has resulted in historically high household savings, according to Lucas Zhong of research firm Canalys, as quoted by Reuters.
In 2022, IDC said that Vivo was the top-selling brand with a market share of 18.6 percent, but in 2022 its total shipments were down 25.1 percent year-on-year.
IDC said that Apple's overall sales fell 4.4 percent year-on-year, while all other rivals, except Huawei's Honor, saw double digit falling sales.
According to a separate report from Canalys this week, Apple sold 16.4 million phones in the fourth quarter of 2022, down 24 percent year-on-year, the first time the company's shipments fell in China since early 2020 during the first wave of COVID- 19.
The decline was caused by an earlier version of the latest iPhone series, along with workers' unrest at Foxconn's plant in the city of Zhengzhou, according to Canalys.
During the same period, Xiaomi and Honor saw sales declines of 37.3 percent and 14.1 percent.
Canalys said that Apple is the top-selling phone maker in China, holding a record high market share.