The competition for China’s 5G smartphone users has kicked off in earnest. As of September, China shipped about 485,000 5G smartphones, according to IDC. In the third quarter, Vivo alone accounted for 54.3% of all 5G smartphones shipped in China, according to the report. Samsung came in second with 29% of the market. Huawei and Xiaomi were the third and fourth with 9.5% and 4.6% respectively.
China is aggressively rolling out its 5G network across the country. Last week, all three of China’s state-owned telecom companies launched commercial 5G services in 50 cities. The cheapest package from China Mobile costs just 128 yuan (US$18).
Vivo is one of the only companies with a mid-range 5G smartphone available in China. Its iQOO Pro 5G starts at 3,698 yuan (US$522). It has the NEX 3 5G for the high-end market starting at 5,698 yuan (US$805). In the mid-range market, Vivo has to contend with Xiaomi, which launched the Mi 9 Pro 5G in September for 3,699 yuan (US$520). Huawei and Samsung are both focusing on the high-end market, the report said.