Apple Dethroned As Top Selling Samrtphone In China By Oppo R9

Apple's iPhone has been the top selling smartphone in China since 2012, but that's no longer the case, as according to a new report from Counterpoint Research, it has been overtaken by Oppo's R9.

The iPhone 6s sold 12 million units in 2016 or around 2 percent of all phones sold in China, behind the Oppo R9 – the flagship smartphone of the Chinese brand Oppo Electronics – which sold close to 17 million units, capturing 4 percent market share, according to Counterpoint Research. Oppo is one of the fastest-growing smartphone brands in China which has made its name through high-spec low-priced devices, being sold through bricks and mortar stores. 

It marks the first time an Apple iPhone is not the best-selling smartphone in China in five years, Counterpoint said, highlighting the rough year the U.S. company has had in the country. 

Counterpoint noted that China's smartphone shipments reached an all-time high in 2016, growing 6 percent year-on-year to 465 million units, but it noted that Apple still remains "vulnerable" in China.

The report notes that a total of 17 million R9 units were sold in the country last year, which translates into around 4% of the market share. In comparison, Apple managed to sell only 12 million units of the iPhone 6s, capturing 2% of the market.

While Oppo's shipments for the year in China increased by 106%, those of Apple's flagship declined by 21%.

Source