Chinese smartphone shipments registered a fifth consecutive quarter of double-digit declines during Q1, data from IDC showed.

The research company noted a lack of consumer confidence limited demand, with high-end consumers shifting their spending to other areas.

On the supply side, it noted the addition of more RAM and storage has lengthened replacement cycles.

Will Wong, senior research manager at IDC Asia Pacific, stated it expected a poor start to the year “as consumers became more budget conscious or shifted to social activities like dining and travelling”.

Shipments fell 11.8 per cent year-on-year to 65.4 million units despite the end of Covid-19 (coronavirus) restrictions in December 2022, with IDC figures showing declines for all vendors in its top-five.

Oppo’s shipments fell 8.8 per cent but its share increased from 19 per cent to 19.6 per cent.

Apple ranked second, with its share at 17.6 per cent compared with 16.7 per cent in Q1 2022, though shipments fell 7 per cent.

Third-place Vivo’s shipments fell 14.9 per cent, with share falling from 17.9 per cent to 17.3 per cent.

Honor dropped from second to fourth, with shipments down 22.8 per cent and its share 2.2 percentage points lower at 16 per cent.

Xiaomi remained in fifth with a 13 per share compared with 14.9 per cent and shipments down 22.9 per cent.