China Mobile Market Update: April 2017

This analysis of the Chinese mobile market, based on February 2017 data, examines the landscape of device usage, app store penetration, and consumer connectivity trends. The study utilizes a sample of 350 million active mobile devices to provide a granular view of the world’s largest mobile ecosystem, highlighting the dominance of local manufacturers and the rapid shift toward premium hardware and advanced network connectivity.

In the device market, Apple maintained the lead with a 26.3% share of active devices, followed by Huawei at 15.6%. Xiaomi and Oppo remained highly competitive, each capturing 13.8% of the market. The data reveals a significant shift in consumer behavior, as 4G connectivity became the standard in 2016, rising to 57.9% of active devices compared to 31.6% in 2015. Simultaneously, the market saw a trend toward premiumization, with a notable increase in devices priced above 2,000 RMB and a corresponding decline in budget devices under 1,999 RMB.

App store and application usage patterns underscore the dominance of domestic platforms. Tencent’s MyApp remained the leading app store with 24.1% coverage, while WeChat achieved near-universal penetration, installed on 93.6% of active Android devices. In the gaming sector, Tencent and NetEase maintained a stronghold on revenue, with titles like King of Glory and Onmyoji leading both Android and iOS charts. While casual games showed growth in the Android segment, the iOS market saw increased diversity with new publishers entering the top 10. These findings illustrate a maturing market characterized by high engagement with local social and utility platforms and a growing consumer appetite for higher-end mobile technology.