Analysis report on the operation of the domestic mobile phone market in July 2021: Shipments increased by 28.6% year-on-year, and 5G mobile phones accelerated their penetration, accounting for nearly 80%, a record high

In July, domestic mobile phone shipments reached 28.676 million units, up 28.6% year-on-year and 11.7% month-on-month. The accelerated penetration of 5G mobile phones has become the main driving force for market growth, with shipments of 22.834 million units, accounting for 79.6%.

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1. Overall situation of domestic mobile phone market

In July 2021, the domestic mobile phone shipments reached 28.676 million units, a year-on-year increase of 28.6% and a month-on-month increase of 11.7%. Among them, 5G mobile phones reached 22.834 million units, a year-on-year increase of 64.1% and a month-on-month increase of 15.4%, accounting for 79.6% of the mobile phone shipments in the same period.

From January to July 2021, the total shipments of mobile phones in the domestic market totaled 203 million units, a year-on-year increase of 15.6%. Among them, the shipments of 5G mobile phones totaled 151 million units, a year-on-year increase of 94.3%, accounting for 74.3% of the total mobile phone shipments in the same period. As of the end of July 2021, the domestic market had shipped a total of 327 million 5G mobile phones.

Figure 1 Domestic mobile phone market shipments and 5G mobile phone share

In July 2021, 26 new mobile phone models were launched in China, a year-on-year decrease of 38.1%. Among them, 11 were 5G mobile phones, a year-on-year decrease of 38.9%, accounting for 42.3% of the number of new mobile phone models launched in the same period.

From January to July 2021, a total of 239 new mobile phone models were launched, a year-on-year decrease of 6.6%. Among them, 121 5G mobile phones were launched, a year-on-year decrease of 4.0%, accounting for 50.6% of the number of new mobile phone models launched in the same period.

Figure 2 Number of new mobile phone models launched in China and the proportion of 5G mobile phones

2. Composition of domestic and foreign brands in the domestic mobile phone market

In July 2021, the shipment volume of domestic brand mobile phones was 25.887 million units, a year-on-year increase of 24.9%, accounting for 90.3% of the mobile phone shipments in the same period; 24 new models were launched, a year-on-year decrease of 36.8%, accounting for 92.3% of the number of new mobile phone models launched in the same period.

From January to July 2021, the cumulative shipments of domestic brand mobile phones reached 181 million units, a year-on-year increase of 13.3%, accounting for 89.4% of the mobile phone shipments in the same period; the cumulative number of new models launched was 218, a year-on-year decrease of 6.8%, accounting for 91.2% of the number of new mobile phone models launched in the same period.

Figure 3: Shipment volume and share of domestic brand mobile phones

III. Development of domestic smartphones

In July 2021, smartphone shipments reached 27.767 million units, up 30.6% year-on-year, accounting for 96.8% of mobile phone shipments in the same period. From January to July 2021, smartphone shipments reached 199 million units, up 16.8% year-on-year, accounting for 98.0% of mobile phone shipments in the same period.

Figure 4 Domestic smartphone shipments and share

In July 2021, 21 new smartphone models were launched, a year-on-year decrease of 34.4%, accounting for 80.8% of the number of new smartphone models launched in the same period. From January to July 2021, a total of 196 new smartphone models were launched, a year-on-year decrease of 1.0%, accounting for 82.0% of the number of new models launched in the same period.